来源

• Pinyin: lái yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 来 = 木 (tree radical, original pictograph); 源 = 氵(water radical) + 原 (original source) — where the flow originates

Meaning

Source; origin. The place or thing from which something originates or is obtained.

来源 is used both as a noun (the source of information, income, ideas) and occasionally as a verb meaning to originate from. It is widely used in academic writing, news reporting, and everyday conversation to indicate where something comes from. Common collocations include 信息来源, 收入来源, and 来源于.

Examples

1. 这篇文章的信息来源不太可靠，要仔细核实。 The information source for this article is not very reliable — it needs careful verification.
2. 他的收入来源主要是网上开店和做兼职。 His main sources of income are running an online shop and doing part-time work.
3. 许多英语词汇来源于拉丁语和希腊语。 Many English words originate from Latin and Greek.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, everyday, media, research

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请注明你的信息来源，这样读者更容易核实。(Please cite your source — it makes it easier for readers to verify.)
• 这种文化习俗的来源可以追溯到几百年前。(The origin of this cultural custom can be traced back hundreds of years.)

Don't Say

• 事故的来源是什么？(Don't confuse 来源 with 原因 — for the cause of an event, use 原因; 来源 means the origin or source from which something comes)

Origin & History

来 (to come) + 源 (source, origin). 源 contains 氵(water radical) and 原 (original, source), evoking the image of the headwaters of a river — the place where flow begins.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal