1.
prototype, archetype, original model
The earliest form or model from which later versions are developed or derived. Emphasizes the concept of an original design or pattern that serves as a basis for copies or variations.
この車の原型は1960年代に作られた。
The prototype of this car was made in the 1960s.
現代の民主主義の原型は古代ギリシャにある。
The archetype of modern democracy lies in ancient Greece.
彼の初期の作品に、後の傑作の原型を見ることができる。
In his early works, you can see the prototype of his later masterpieces.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 原型を作る (create a prototype)
- 原型をとどめる (retain the original form)
- 原型をとどめない (be damaged beyond recognition)
USAGE NOTES:
Often confused with the homophone 原形 (original form/shape). 原型 emphasizes the concept of a model or template from which other things are derived, while 原形 refers to an object's original physical shape before it was damaged or altered. The expression 原型をとどめない (lit. "not retaining the original form") means something has been damaged or changed so much that it's unrecognizable.