Meaning
former; original; primary; raw; level; cause
Chinese: 原来、根源或平原。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “yuan” becomes a different word in each tone. 原 is the 2nd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 原因yuán yīncause; origin; root cause; reason
- 原来yuán láioriginal; former; originally; formerly
- 原则yuán zéprinciple; doctrine
- 原谅yuán liàngto excuse; to forgive; to pardon
- 原料yuán liàoraw material
Example Sentence
原来你也在这里！Yuán lái nǐ yě zài zhè lǐ!So you are here too!
原来Yuán láioriginal你nǐyou也yěalso在zàiat这里zhè lǐhere！
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
厂 (a cliff/slope) over 泉 (a spring): a spring welling up at the foot of a cliff — the source. Senses: ‘original, primary; source; a level plain; to forgive’ (原来, 草原, 原谅).
A way to remember it
A spring (泉) at the cliff (厂) — the source; original.