Kanji 元: beginning, former time, origin
Key takeaways
Kanji 元: beginning, former time, origin. Readings and core meaning.
See vocabulary and examples below.
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
Core meaning: 元
beginning, former time, origin
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
Mnemonic story
This character depicts a person (儿) with a head (二) on top. Since the head is the topmost part of the body and symbolizes the start of everything, it carries the meanings of 'origin' or 'beginning'.
