Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
原典 (げんてん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
noun
original text ; source text
Refers to the original version of a written work, as opposed to translations, adaptations, or later editions. Often used in scholarly or literary discussion.
は
シェイクスピア
の
原げん
典てん
を
研けん
究きゅう
し
て
いる
。
He is studying the original texts of Shakespeare.
Kanji 原 meadow, original, primitive Similar words 原げん 文ぶん 原文 is a broader term for the original wording of any text, while 原典 specifically emphasizes the authoritative source document, often in a scholarly context.
原げん 作さく 原作 refers to the original work (e.g., a novel) on which an adaptation (film, manga) is based, whereas 原典 is more about the original text as a reference or source.
Etymology Compound of 原 (gen, 'original') and 典 (ten, 'code, rule, book'). The combination straightforwardly means 'original book' or 'source text'.
