1.
cause; origin; root cause
The underlying cause or origin of an event, problem, or phenomenon. As a suru-verb, it means 'to be caused by' or 'to originate from.'
事故の起因を調べる。
To investigate the cause of the accident.
この病気はストレスに起因する。
This illness is caused by stress.
多くの交通事故は、不注意や疲労に起因していることが調査で明らかになった。
Investigations revealed that many traffic accidents are caused by carelessness or fatigue.
起因 means the root cause or origin of something. As a suru-verb, it takes the particle に to indicate the cause: Xに起因する (to be caused by X).
PARTICLE PATTERNS:
- Xに起因する (to be caused by X, to originate from X)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 起因する (to be caused by)
- 起因を探る (to search for the cause)
- Xに起因する問題 (a problem caused by X)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 起因 vs 原因: 原因 is the general everyday word for "cause," while 起因 is more formal and often used in technical, legal, or analytical writing. 起因 emphasizes the origin point, while 原因 focuses on the causal factor itself.