根(ね)

ね
noun
root
1. root (of a plant)
The part of a plant that grows underground, absorbing water and nutrients.
根(ね)が出(で)てきた。
Roots have started to come out.
この木(き)は根(ね)が深(ふか)い。
This tree has deep roots.
花(はな)の根(ね)に水(みず)をやった。
I watered the roots of the flowers.
台風(たいふう)で木(き)が根(ね)から倒(たお)れた。
The tree fell from the roots in the typhoon.
雑草(ざっそう)は根(ね)から抜(ぬ)かないと、また生(は)えてくる。
If you don't pull weeds out by the roots, they'll grow back.
2. root, basis, foundation
The fundamental cause or source of something; the core or essence.
問題(もんだい)の根(ね)を探(さぐ)る。
To search for the root of the problem.
彼(かれ)は根(ね)は優(やさ)しい人(ひと)だ。
He's a kind person at heart.
根(ね)は〜 = at heart, fundamentally
根(ね)も葉(は)もない噂(うわさ)を信(しん)じてはいけない。
You shouldn't believe groundless rumors.
根(ね)も葉(は)もない = groundless, baseless
根(ね)から話(はなし)を聞(き)いて、本当(ほんとう)の原因(げんいん)を見(み)つけよう。
Let's listen from the root of the matter and find the real cause.
根(ね)から = from the root, fundamentally
この問題(もんだい)は根(ね)が深(ふか)いので、簡単(かんたん)には解決(かいけつ)できない。
This problem is deep-rooted, so it can't be easily resolved.

USAGE: 根(ね) refers to both literal plant roots and figurative foundations/causes. It's used in many idiomatic expressions.

COMMON PATTERNS:

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

IDIOMS:

core
Added 2026.1.12 19:56 · Revised 2026.5.26 22:19
03500/03525_ne