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元 means 'origin' or 'original'

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Strokes : 4    Frequency: 223   JLPT: N4    Usefulness: 2    Study set: 2-1    Grade: 2   Intermediate lesson: 10    Beginner lesson: 19   Begins 136 words   Used in 385 words   Used in 2610 names   Component in 47 kanji (5 Jōyō)
Jōyō (常用)
Common readings
On
   ゲン   ガン
Kun
   もと origin
Additional readings
Name    ちか   はじめ   はる   ゆき   よし
Components
⿱  二 two  儿 legs  
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Most useful words by reading
In the most useful 10,000 words in Japanese, 元 is used 18 times, read 3 ways.
Across all words in Japanese, 元 is used 378 times, read 3 ways.
Showing:
ゲン : 219 words FIND ALL
げ ん き 1
1. lively; full of spirit; energetic; vigorous; vital; spirited
2. healthy; well; fit; in good health
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, useful expressions, examples and links)
ガン : 11 words FIND ALL
が ん ね ん 1
adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi), noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi)
first year (of a specific reign)
(click the word for examples and links)
もと : 148 words FIND ALL
じ も と 0 じ も と 3
noun
1. home area; home town
2. local
(click the word for examples and links)
An additional 8 less common words include 元 but the readings have not yet been categorized.
Quick links
QUICK SEARCH WORD SEARCH KANJI SEARCH COMPONENT SEARCH Find kanji that refer to 元
More information
Wiktionary ⇗ | Unicode.org ⇗ | Google Japan ⇗ | Hanziyuan etymology ⇗
Additional data
Henshall: 117 (originally: 106)  Joy o' Kanji : 106  Key to Kanji: 284 

Cascading kanji view

元
ゲン   ガン   origin; original   もと origin   
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二
ニ   ふたつ    ふた two   
儿
legs
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