Japanese word

起源

Pronunciation

Romajikigen

Meaning

  • nounorigin

Example

この言葉の起源を調べました。ko no koto ba no ki gen o shira be ma shi ta

I researched the origin of this word.

Illustration for 起源 (origin)

More examples

この祭りの起源は古代にさかのぼります。ko no matsu ri no ki gen wa ko dai ni sa ka no bo ri ma su

The origin of this festival dates back to ancient times.

Core concept

起源 (kigen) identifies the original point from which a history, practice, or idea can be traced.

Common phrases

  • 起源を調べるki gen o shira be ru

    investigate the origin

  • 起源をたどるki gen o ta do ru

    trace the origin

  • 起源に迫るki gen ni sema ru

    get closer to the origin

Similar words

由来yurai: The history or source that explains how something came to exist.
発祥hasshō: The place or time at which a custom, product, or activity first began.
源minamoto: The fundamental source from which something develops or is derived.
ルーツrūtsu: The family, culture, or place from which a person or group originates.

Definition in Japanese

ある物事が始まり、成立するもととなった場所や時代、事柄。a ru mono goto ga haji ma ri sei ritsu su ru mo to to na tta ba sho ya ji dai koto gara

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese noun 起源 (kigen) combines 起 (ki, "rise") with 源 (gen, "source"), linking the act of beginning with its underlying source.

Usage tips

  • English speakers use origin for both beginnings and ancestry, so the same noun can describe the start of a tradition and a person's family background.

Word lists with this word