原
- hill, plain;
- source, origin;
- fundamental, original;
Etymology
Formed as a compound of pictographic elements:
厂 (“cliff, slope”) depicts a rocky ledge or hillside.
泉 (“spring, fountain”) depicts water bubbling up from between rocks.
Combined, the character originally signified a place where water emerges from a slope, hence “source” or “origin.”
Semantic range:
- hill, slope, plain (언덕, 들판);
- source, fountainhead (근원, 원천);
- by extension: origin, cause, foundation (본래, 본원).
Usage in Korean
원인 (原因) — cause, reason
원래 (原來) — originally, by nature
원본 (原本) — original text/document
원칙 (原則) — principle, rule
평원 (平原) — plain, flatland
기원 (起原 / 祈願) — origin / prayer (different homophones)
Words that derived from 原
- 만유원력(萬有原力)–Universal prime energy
- 원리(原理)–principle; fundamental; law
- 원리결과주관권(原理結果主觀圈)–the realm of dominion based on accomplishments through the Principle
- 원리형(原理型)–form of the Principle
- 원시(原始/元始)–being primal; being earlies; primitive
- 원시인(原始人)–ancient people; primitive man
- 원인(原因)–cause; reason
- 원죄(原罪)–forgiveness; pardon; original sin
- 원칙(原則)–rule; principle
Alternative forms
In Confucian and Daoist texts, 原 often implies the root or fundamental source of things, linking it with concepts of natural order and origin. It expresses both physical beginnings (like a spring) and metaphysical foundations (the essence of things).
In Buddhism, too, 原 may signify the original state or the underlying ground of existence before delusion.
- 一竹日火 (MHAF)
- ⿸ 厂 ⿱ 白 小