How to say "origin" in Japanese

• 元もとJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers the sense of origin as the source something came from or is based on. Use it when tracing where an idea, custom, or thing goes back to.
  やってしまったことは元もとに戻もどらない。↗

  What is done cannot be undone.
• 始まりはじまりJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers the beginning or start sense: when something began, rather than what caused it. Typical for the start of a story, a relationship, or a tradition.
  始はじまりがうまければ半なかばうまくいったもおなじ。↗

  Well begun is half done.
• 原因げんいんJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThis is really the word for cause: the origin of a problem or dispute as what brought it about, not the historical derivation of a name or custom.
  それで事故じこの原因げんいんが分わかった。↗

  That accounts for the accident.
• 根本こんぽんJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounCovers origin as the root or underlying basis of something — what a matter ultimately rests on. It points to the foundation of a problem or idea rather than its starting point in time.
  想像力そうぞうりょくは、すべての文明ぶんめいの根本こんぽんである。↗

  Imagination is the root of all civilization.
• 由来ゆらいCommon
  noun, suru verbThe word for origin as history or derivation: where a name, custom, or tradition comes from and the story behind it. This is the word you want when explaining the origin of something.
  スコットランドに由来ゆらいする歌うたがいくつかあります。↗

  Some songs come from Scotland.

Use 由来 for the history or derivation of a name or custom, 元 for where something came from, 「始まり」 for when it began, 原因 for the cause of something, and 根本 for its underlying root.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 元もとorigin
• 始まりはじまりorigin
• 原因げんいんcause
• 根本こんぽんroot
• 由来ゆらいorigin
• 原始げんしorigin
• 発祥はっしょうorigin
• 起源きげんorigin
• 発端ほったんorigin
• 根源こんげんroot
• 原点げんてんstarting point
• 起点きてんstarting point
• 起こりおこりsource
• ルーツroots
• 大本おおもとroot
• 出所しゅっしょsource
• 成り立ちなりたちthe way in which something came about
• 出自しゅつじorigin
• 原初げんしょorigin
• 物種ものだねorigin
• 本元ほんもとorigin
• 正体しょうたいtrue character
• 素性すじょうbirth
• 基点きてんdatum point
• 端たんorigin
• 種くさcause
• 源げんsource
• 基もといbasis
• 大根おおねroot
• オリジンorigin
• 出どころでどころsource
• 淵源えんげんorigin
• 本源ほんげんorigin
• 発頭ほっとうorigin
• 成因せいいんorigin
• 元始げんしorigin
• 来由らいゆorigin
• 謂れ因縁いわれいんねんorigin
• 起始点きしてんorigin (of an artery, nerve, etc.)
• 始原しげんstart
• 本初ほんしょbeginning
• 定位置ていいちhome position
• 濫觴らんしょうsource
• 発生源はっせいげんsource
• 起首きしゅstart
• 発祥の地はっしょうのちbirthplace
• はじめorigin
• 根ねroot (of all evil, etc.)
• 縁起えんぎorigin
• 身分みぶんidentity
• 源泉げんせんsource (of payment, energy, knowledge, etc.)
• 起因きいんcause
• 出先でさきsource (of an object)
• 原本げんぽんroot
• 口火くちびcause (of a war, argument, revolt, etc.)
• 源みなもとsource
• 誕生たんじょうcreation
• 根っこねっこroot (of a problem, etc.)
• 因縁いんねんconnection
• 故事こじtradition
• 出場でばsource
• 縁由えんゆorigin
• いわれhistory
• 震源地しんげんちsource (of a rumor, incident, etc.)
• 出場所でばしょsource
• 卵たまごbeginning
• たねcause