Where does “源” come from?

源 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 水, from Old Japanese 水, from Proto-Japonic *mentu — water.

源 (Japanese): a fountainhead; a source, origin

Definitions

  1. a fountainhead; a source, origin

Ancestry of “源”, step by step

源 traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese 水

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese水water; drinking water; a fluid, liquid
2Old Japanese水water
3Proto-Japonic*mentuwater

via Old Japanese な

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Japaneseなany sharp and thin cutting implement: a blade,...
2Old Japaneseのplain, field
3Middle Chinese能talent, ability

via Japanese 元

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese元cause, origin; basis, foundation; cost
2Japanese始めbeginning, the start of an activity or time...
3Japanese始めるbegin; start; initiate; originate

Words derived from “源”

Every word from Proto-Japonic *mentu →Every word from Old Japanese 水 →Every word from Japanese 水 →