JLPT N4 kanji. Readings, meaning, and how the character is built.
元 means origin, base. It is a JLPT N4 kanji written in 4 strokes, read もと or げん. It appears in 元気 (health(y) / energetic) and 足元 (at one's feet).
元 is written in 4 strokes, in the order numbered below. Order matters: it is what makes handwriting legible, and it is how the character is looked up in a paper dictionary.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 元気 | げんき | health(y) / energetic |
| 足元 | あしもと | at one's feet |
| 元日 | がんじつ | New Year's Day |
元 tends to carry the sound がん. They carry it; they do not all mean the same thing.
| Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 元 | がん | beginning, former time |
| 頑 | がん | stubborn, foolish |
| 玩 | がん | play, take pleasure in |
| 翫 | がん | take pleasure in, play instrument |
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