origin of an affair; spark that lit the fuse; beginning
Refers to the very start or root cause of a matter, often a problem or incident. Used in explanatory or narrative contexts.
The origin of the affair was a small misunderstanding.
The police are investigating the beginning of the incident in detail.
Standard kanji spelling for this set phrase.
Kana-mixed spelling; common in casual writing or when avoiding the kanji 事.
A set phrase combining 事 (thing, matter) and 発端 (origin, beginning). The reading ほったん for 発端 is a standard Sino-Japanese compound.