Where does “元気” come from?
元気 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 元, from Japanese 始め, from Japanese 始める — begin; start; initiate; originate.
元気 (Japanese): healthy; energetic; in a good mood; peppy; lively
Definitions
- healthy; energetic; in a good mood; peppy; lively
Ancestry of “元気”, step by step
元気 traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Japanese 元
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 元 | cause, origin; basis, foundation; cost |
| 2 | Japanese | 始め | beginning, the start of an activity or time... |
| 3 | Japanese | 始める | begin; start; initiate; originate |
via Japanese 気
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 気 | spirit, mood; inclination, will, mood, urge;... |
| 2 | Middle Chinese | 氣 | spirit; breath |
via Chinese 元氣
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chinese | 元氣 | energy of primal chaos; strength; vigour;... |