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元
元 (readings: げん, がん, もと; Japanese kanji) means “origin / source”. It is a Grade 2 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 2 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 元気 (healthy).
What does 元 mean?
| Kanji | 元 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | origin / source |
| Readings | げん, がん, もと |
| Grade | Grade 2 (Easy) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
How to read 元
元 is read げん or がん or もと depending on the word.
Example words with 元
| Example | 元気 (healthy) |
|---|
Practice writing 元 — free
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Updated: 2026-07-14