もと
元

noun

  1. origin, source, beginning. Esp. 元.
  2. basis, base, foundation, root. Oft. 基.
  3. cause. Also written as 因, 原.
  4. (raw) material, ingredient, base, mix (e.g. for a cake), (soup) stock. Esp. 素.
  5. (one's) side.
  6. capital, principal, cost price.
  7. root (of a plant), (tree) trunk.
  8. part (of a brush, chopsticks, etc.) one holds (with the hand).
  9. first three lines of a waka.

counter

  1. counter for plants or trees.
  2. counter for falcons (in falconry).

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
もと
元
元 もと ✔
もと
本
本 もと ✔
もと
素
素 もと
もと
基
基 もと
もと
因
因 もと

Contained Kanji Breakdown

beginning, former time, origin
ゲン もと ガン (2nd, N4)
two, two radical (no. 7)
ニ ふた ふだ (1st, N5)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン ニン がい (Kentei 1)