Japanese word

元

Pronunciation

Romajimoto

Meaning

  • nounformer, original

Example

元の会社に戻ります。moto no gai sha ni modo ri ma su

I return to my former company.

Illustration for 元 (former)

More examples

おもちゃを元の場所に戻します。o mo cha o moto no ba sho ni modo shi ma su

I put the toy back in its original place.

卒業後も、元のクラスメートと連絡を取っています。sotsu gyō go mo moto no ku ra su mē to to ren raku o to tte i ma su

Even after graduation, I still keep in touch with my former classmate.

Core concept

Connects a person or thing with a past position, relationship, or starting point rather than with its current one.

Common phrases

  • 元の学校moto no gak kō

    former school

  • 元の職場moto no shoku ba

    former workplace

  • 元の住所moto no jū sho

    former address

Similar words

前mae: Refers to a position, relationship, or affiliation held before the present one.
旧kyū: Describes a former version, status, or affiliation that has been replaced or ended.

Definition in Japanese

以前はその状態や関係にあったが、現在はそうではない人や物。i zen wa so no jō tai ya kan kei ni a tta ga gen zai wa sō de wa na i hito ya mono

Word origin

元 (moto, "base") is a native Japanese word inherited from Old Japanese moto, whose basic sense of a base extends to an origin and an earlier state.

Usage tips

  • The kanji 元 (moto) also covers origin and source, so the following noun or the surrounding topic usually determines which sense is intended.

Other meanings

  • originnoun
  • sourcenoun

Opposites

  • 現gencurrentnoun

Word lists with this word