Kanji N1

源: source, origin

源 is a JLPT N1 kanji meaning source, origin, written with 13 strokes. It is read ゲン (on) and みなもと (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 6. You will see it in 財源 (ざいげん, source of funds) and 資源 (しげん, resources).

源

Meanings

  • source
  • origin
Strokes13
JLPT levelN1
School gradeGrade 6
Frequency#738 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ゲン

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

Kun reading
  • みなもと

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.

12345678910111213

Now draw it

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

123456789101112130 / 13

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 13. Start at the dot.

Common words with 源

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

  • 財源ざいげん

    source of funds; resources; finances

    JLPT N1
  • 資源しげん

    resources

    JLPT N3
  • 源みなもと

    source (of a river); fountainhead

    JLPT N1
  • 電源でんげん

    source of electricity; electrical power

    JLPT N1
  • 水源すいげん

    source of river; fountainhead

    JLPT N1
  • 起源きげん

    origin; beginning; source

    JLPT N1
  • 語源ごげん

    origin of a word; derivation of a word

    JLPT N1
  • 震源しんげん

    hypocentre (of an earthquake); hypocenter; focus

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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; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.