1.
originally; by nature; inherently
Indicates that something has been the case from the very beginning, or that a quality is fundamental and innate. Used to describe original states, inherent characteristics, or the way things were meant to be.
彼は元来真面目な人だ。
He is by nature a serious person.
この土地は元来農地だった。
This land was originally farmland.
元来体が丈夫だったので、大きな病気をしたことがない。
Since I was inherently healthy, I've never had a serious illness.
元来 is a formal/literary adverb meaning "originally" or "by nature." It emphasizes that something has been true from the very beginning or is an innate quality.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 元来〜な性格だ: is by nature a ~ personality
- 元来〜だった: was originally ~
- 元来の目的: the original purpose
SIMILAR WORDS:
- もともと: originally, by nature (everyday, casual — most common in speech)
- 元来: originally, by nature (formal, literary)
- 本来: originally, properly, by rights (formal, often implies "should be")
- そもそも: in the first place, to begin with (often used when questioning assumptions)
REGISTER:
Appears mainly in written language, essays, and formal speech. In everyday conversation, もともと is preferred.