根源

• Pinyin: gēn yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 根 = 木 + 艮 (root); 源 = 氵 + 原 (source of water)

Meaning

Root cause; origin. The fundamental source from which a problem, phenomenon, or event arises.

Commonly used in academic, journalistic, and analytical contexts when tracing problems back to their ultimate cause. More formal than 原因.

Examples

1. 贫困的根源在于教育资源的不均衡。 The root cause of poverty lies in unequal access to educational resources.
2. 研究人员正在寻找这场疾病的根源。 Researchers are looking for the root cause of this disease.
3. 社会矛盾的根源需要从历史角度分析。 The root causes of social tensions need to be analyzed from a historical perspective.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, journalism, social analysis

Tone: analytical

Do Say

• 找到问题的根源，才能从根本上解决。(Only by finding the root cause can we solve the problem fundamentally.)
• 腐败的根源在于权力缺乏监督。(The root cause of corruption lies in the lack of oversight over power.)

Don't Say

• 这件事的根源是他迟到 — use 原因 for minor everyday causes; 根源 implies deep structural origin

Origin & History

根 (root) + 源 (source/spring)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal