1.
source; origin; point of origin
The place, thing, or condition from which something originates or is generated — typically used for undesirable things like pollution, disease, noise, or problems. Emphasizes the point where something first emerges rather than its cause.
悪臭の発生源を調べる。
Investigate the source of the bad smell.
感染症の発生源はまだ特定されていない。
The source of the infection has not yet been identified.
工場が大気汚染の主な発生源だと指摘されている。
Factories have been identified as the main source of air pollution.
Compound of 発生 ('occurrence; generation; outbreak') and 源 ('source; origin'). The word strongly implies that something problematic or unwanted is being generated — it is rarely used for positive things.
USAGE:
- Most commonly used with negative phenomena: pollution, disease, odor, noise, problems
- Appears frequently in news reports, scientific writing, and official investigations
- Distinguished from 原因 ('cause') by focusing on the physical location or thing producing the problem, not the underlying reason
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 発生源を突き止める: to track down the source
- 発生源を特定する: to identify the source
- 汚染の発生源: source of contamination
- 騒音の発生源: source of noise
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 原因: cause; reason — explains why something happened, while 発生源 identifies where it came from
- 源: source; origin — a broader, more literary word applicable to both concrete and abstract origins
- 出所: source; origin — used for information, goods, or people, indicating where something came from