How to say "source" in Japanese

• 元もとJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe everyday word for the origin or source of something — where a story, remark, or piece of information comes from. Think of it as the starting point you trace something 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.
• 原因げんいんJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThis is really the word for a cause. Use it when 'source' means what brought something about — the source of a problem, error, or trouble — not where information comes from.
  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
  nounLeans toward 'root': the basis or foundation something springs from, rather than a single point of origin. As 'source' it suits the fundamental root of a problem or idea.
  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.
• 起こりおこりCommon
  nounPoints to where something began or arose — the origin of a custom, a dispute, or an illness. It suits 'source' in the sense of the starting point something developed from.
• 源泉げんせんCommon
  nounThe physical source of a spring — where the water wells up — and, by extension, a wellspring. It is not the word for a source of information or quotations.

Use 元 for where something comes from, 原因 for a source that is really a cause, 根本 for the root or basis, 「起こり」 for where something began, and 源泉 for the source of a spring.

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

• 元もとorigin
• 原因げんいんcause
• 根本こんぽんroot
• 起こりおこりsource
• 源泉げんせんsource (of a spring, etc.)
• 出所しゅっしょsource
• 源流げんりゅうsource (e.g. of a river)
• 由来ゆらいorigin
• 根源こんげんroot
• 起源きげんorigin
• 大本おおもとroot
• 出典しゅってんsource (e.g. quotation)
• 源みなもとsource (of a river)
• 水源地すいげんちsource (of a river, etc.)
• 原初げんしょorigin
• ソースsource (of information)
• 源げんsource
• 大根おおねroot
• 出どころでどころsource
• 水上みなかみheadwaters
• 元ネタもとネタoriginal (that was parodied or acted as an inspiration for something else, etc.)
• 濫觴らんしょうsource
• 発信源はっしんげんsource (of a transmission, broadcast, etc.)
• 発生源はっせいげんsource
• 取材源しゅざいげんsource (for a news article, etc.)
• 入手先にゅうしゅさきsource (of supply)
• 発源はつげんsource (of a river)
• 所出しょしゅつone's birthplace
• 典拠てんきょ(an) authority
• 送信元そうしんもとsender
• 送り元おくりもとsender (of a parcel, letter, email, etc.)
• 基もといbasis
• 根ねroot (of all evil, etc.)
• 出先でさきsource (of an object)
• 元凶げんきょうmain cause
• 原本げんぽんroot
• 根っこねっこroot (of a problem, etc.)
• 出場でばsource
• 根元ねもとroot (e.g. of a problem)
• 震源地しんげんちsource (of a rumor, incident, etc.)
• 出場所でばしょsource
• 筋すじsource (of information, etc.)
• たねcause