Kanji N3

原: meadow, original, primitive

原 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning meadow, original, primitive, written with 10 strokes. It is read ゲン (on) and はら (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 2. You will see it in 原因 (げんいん, cause) and 原 (はら, field).

原

Meanings

  • meadow
  • original
  • primitive
  • field
  • plain
  • prairie
  • tundra
  • wilderness
Strokes10
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 2
Frequency#172 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ゲン

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • はら

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

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Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 10. Start at the dot.

Common words with 原

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 原因げんいん

    cause; origin; source

    JLPT N4
  • 原はら

    field; plain; prairie; tundra; moor; wilderness

    JLPT N3
  • 原理げんり

    principle; theory; fundamental truth

    JLPT N2
  • 原点げんてん

    starting point; origin; beginning

    JLPT N1
  • 原則げんそく

    principle; general rule

    JLPT N1
  • 原作げんさく

    original work

    JLPT N1
  • 原料げんりょう

    raw materials; ingredient

    JLPT N2
  • 原油げんゆ

    crude oil

    JLPT N1

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY.