noun
throat; base of the throat
Refers to the front part of the neck, especially the area around the base of the throat. Often used in set phrases.
喉元に手を当てて考え込んだ。
He put his hand to his throat and thought deeply.
喉元過ぎれば熱さを忘れる。
Once it's past the throat, one forgets the heat. (proverb: Once the danger is past, one forgets the pain.)
noun
vital part; critical point
Metaphorical use: the most important or vulnerable part of something, like the throat is to the body. Often appears in expressions like 喉元を押さえる (to seize the vital point).
敵の喉元を押さえる作戦だ。
It's a strategy to seize the enemy's vital point.
Search-only form; not a standard spelling.
喉 is the general word for 'throat', while 喉元 specifically refers to the base or front part of the throat.
Compound of 喉 (のど, 'throat') + 元 (もと, 'base, origin'). The literal meaning is 'base of the throat'.