sink; kitchen sink
Refers to a sink, especially in a kitchen or utility area. The term is somewhat dated or regional; modern Japanese more commonly uses 流し台 (ながしだい) or シンク.
祖母の家の台所には、古い流し元がまだ残っている。
In my grandmother's kitchen, an old sink still remains.
Compound of 流し (ながし, 'washing' or 'sink') and 元 (もと, 'origin' or 'base'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning 'sink'.