起こり・起り・起|おこりokori[3]odaka (tail-high)

1. nounsource; origin; cause; beginning; genesis

• Synonym起源きげんNeutralThe origin or source of things, with an academic flavour, as in 「生命の起源」; 「起こり」 focuses on the cause or background of a matter.
• Synonym根源こんげんNeutralThe root cause of something, as in 「諸悪の根源」; 「起こり」 centres on how a matter arose.
• Synonym源みなもとNeutralThe source of a river, used figuratively for origins, with a written/formal tone; 「起こり」 is about the cause or background of a matter.
• SynonymルーツNeutralA loanword for one's roots or ancestry, as in 「ルーツを探る」; 「起こり」 focuses on what caused a matter.
• Synonym原因げんいんNeutralThe most general word for cause, as in 「事故の原因」; 「起こり」 focuses on the cause or background of a matter.
• SynonymオリジンNeutralA rare loanword for origin; in everyday speech 「起源」 is the norm. 「起こり」 stresses the cause of a matter.
• Related振り出しふりだしNeutralA starting point, as in 「振り出しに戻る」; 「起こり」 focuses on the cause or background of a matter.
• RelatedはじめNeutralThe beginning or first part of something, as in 「初めの一歩」; 「起こり」 is about the cause or background of a matter.
• Related元もとNeutralThe root or cause of something, as in 「火の元」; 「起こり」 centres on how a matter came about.
• Related始まりはじまりNeutralThe start or beginning of something, as in 「物語の始まり」; 「起こり」 focuses on the cause or background of a matter.
• Related発端ほったんWrittenA written/formal word for the origin of an incident, as in 「事件の発端」; 「起こり」 is about the cause or background of a matter.
• Related幕開けまくあけNeutralThe unveiling or opening of a new era, as in 「新時代の幕開け」; 「起こり」 is about what caused a matter.
• Related源流げんりゅうWrittenWritten/formal: the headwaters of a river or the source of a culture; 「起こり」 concerns the cause or background of a matter.
• Related起点きてんNeutralA point of departure or starting point, as in 「起点駅」; 「起こり」 is about the cause or background of a matter.
• Related発祥はっしょうNeutralThe birthplace or origin of a culture or industry, as in 「発祥の地」; 「起こり」 focuses on the cause or background of a matter.
• Related因いんNeutralAnother writing of 「元」 that stresses cause; 「起こり」 is about how a matter began and where it came from.
• Related誘因ゆういんWrittenWritten/formal: a contributing or triggering factor, as in 「事故の誘因」; 「起こり」 is about the cause or background of a matter.
• Related芽生えめばえNeutralA bud or sprout, figuratively the first stirring of a feeling, as in 「恋の芽生え」; 「起こり」 is about what caused a matter.
• Related幕開きまくあきNeutralThe rise of the curtain or the start of a new era; 「起こり」 is about the cause or background of a matter.
• Related出だしでだしNeutralHow something starts off, as in 「出だしは好調」; 「起こり」 concerns the cause or background of a matter.
• Related元始げんしWrittenA rare written/formal word for the primal origin; everyday speech uses 「起源」. 「起こり」 stresses the cause of a matter.
• Related濫觴らんしょうWrittenA written/formal term for the very origin of something, as in 「〜の濫觴」; 「起こり」 is the more everyday choice.

Use 「起こり」 for the cause or origin of a matter, as in 「事の起こり」. For origins pick 「起源」; for root causes 「根源」; for plain causes 「原因」; for the birthplace of a culture 「発祥」; for beginnings 「始まり」 or 「発端」. Others are narrower: 「ルーツ」 for one's roots, 「振り出し」 and 「起点」 for starting points, 「幕開き」 and 「幕開け」 for the opening of an era, 「出だし」 for how something starts off, 「芽生え」 for budding feelings; 「源流」「元始」「濫觴」 are written/formal.

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

1. 漢詩かんしの起承転結きしょうてんけつの最初さいしょ。起句きく。