Where does “個人主義” come from?

個人主義 (Japanese) comes from English individualism, from French individualisme, from French individuel, from Medieval Latin individualis, from Latin indīviduum, from Latin indīviduus, from Latin dīviduus, from Latin dīvidō — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

個人主義 (Japanese): individualism

Definitions

  1. individualism

Ancestry of “個人主義”, step by step

個人主義 traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English individualism

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishindividualismThe tendency for a person to act without...
2Frenchindividualismeindividualism
3Frenchindividuelindividual
4Medieval Latinindividualis
5Latinindīviduumatom
6Latinindīviduusnot divided, indivisible
7Latindīviduusdivisible
8Latindīvidōto divide, separate
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

via Japanese 主義

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese主義a principle or set of principles; a doctrine; an...
2English-ismUsed to form nouns of action or process or result...

via Japanese 個人

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese個人individual
2EnglishindividualA person considered alone, rather than as...
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ