原 meaning and stroke order
Former; original; primary
How to write 原, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 原
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- former
- original
- primary
- raw
- level
- cause
How 原 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cliff.
厂 gives the meaning and 泉 hints at the sound.
Radical: 厂 (cliff), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 原
原 shows 泉 (quán, spring) under the cliff 厂. Picture a spring flowing out from under a cliff: that is where the water begins, its source.
原 (yuán) rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in words meaning original or source, such as 原因 (yuányīn, cause), 原来 (yuánlái, originally) and 原料 (yuánliào, raw material). Example: 你迟到的原因是什么? (Nǐ chídào de yuányīn shì shénme?) What is the reason you were late?
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 原 with 愿 (yuàn, wish), which has the same top plus 心 underneath and a fourth tone. If the meaning is wish or willing, as in 愿意 (yuànyì), you need 愿, not 原.
Common words with 原
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 原因 | yuányīn | cause; origin | HSK 2 |
| 原来 | yuánlái | original; former; originally; formerly; at first | HSK 2 |
| 原则 | yuánzé | principle; doctrine | HSK 4 |
| 原料 | yuánliào | raw material | HSK 4 |
| 原始 | yuánshǐ | first; original | HSK 5 |
| 草原 | cǎoyuán | grassland; prairie | HSK 5 |
| 原理 | yuánlǐ | principle; theory | HSK 5 |
| 原先 | yuánxiān | originally; original | HSK 5 |
| 平原 | píngyuán | field; plain | HSK 5 |
| 高原 | gāoyuán | plateau | HSK 5 |
| 原有 | yuányǒu | original; former | HSK 5 |
| 原谅 | yuánliàng | to excuse; to forgive | HSK 6 |
| 原告 | yuángào | complainant; plaintiff | HSK 6 |
| 原本 | yuánběn | originally; the original; original copy; original version | HSK 7-9 |
原 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 原
Learning 原 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 原
How many strokes are in 原?
原 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 原 mean?
原 (yuán) means former; original; primary. A common word with it is 原因 (yuányīn), meaning "cause; origin".
How do you pronounce 原?
原 is pronounced yuán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 原?
The radical of 原 is 厂, which carries the idea of "cliff". Dictionaries list 原 under this radical.
Is 原 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 原 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 原来 and 本来?
Both can mean originally. 原来 (yuánlái) is also used when you suddenly realize something, as in 原来是你 (so it was you). 本来 (běnlái) leans toward what should naturally be the case.
Why does 原 appear in 草原 (grassland)?
原 also means a wide, flat stretch of land, a plain. So 草原 (cǎoyuán) is a grassy plain, and 平原 (píngyuán) is a flat plain.