1.
source; origin; fountainhead; root
The point from which something arises — literally the headwaters of a river, or figuratively the origin or root cause of an idea, energy, problem, or culture.
川の源をたどる。
To trace a river to its source.
好奇心が学問の源だ。
Curiosity is the source of learning.
争いの源をたどれば、小さな誤解にたどり着いた。
Tracing the conflict back to its root, we arrived at a small misunderstanding.
Both literal (the headwaters of a river) and figurative (the origin or root cause of something).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 川の源: the source of a river
- 力の源: the source of one's strength
- 源をたどる: to trace back to the origin
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 起源: origin — the historical beginning of something.
- 根源: root, fundamental source — more abstract and emphatic.