noun
close to the ear
Typically used in the phrase 耳元で to describe something happening or being said right next to someone's ear.
彼は私の耳元でささやいた。
He whispered close to my ear.
耳元で大きな音がして驚いた。
I was startled by a loud noise right next to my ear.
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
Search-only kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.
Compound of 耳 (mimi, 'ear') and 元 (moto, 'base; vicinity'). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word literally means 'ear vicinity'.