禍根

• Reading: かこん
• Romaji: kakon
• Kanji breakdown: 禍 (ka/wazawai) — disaster, calamity; 根 (kon/ne) — root, origin
• Pronunciation: /ka.koɴ/

Meaning

Root of evil; source of trouble; the seed of future disaster. Refers to the underlying cause of ongoing or future harm.

A formal noun used in serious contexts, particularly journalism, politics, and history. Often appears in the phrase 禍根を残す (to leave the seeds of future trouble). The word implies that if the root cause is not addressed, problems will recur.

Examples

1. 今この問題を解決しなければ将来に禍根を残すことになる。 If we do not resolve this issue now, it will leave the seeds of future trouble.
2. 両国の不信感は長年の禍根から生まれたものだ。 The mutual distrust between the two countries was born from long-standing grievances.
3. 不公平な条約が禍根となり、後の紛争の引き金となった。 An unfair treaty became the root of trouble and triggered later conflict.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, history, journalism

Tone: solemn

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound: 禍 (waza-wai — disaster, calamity) + 根 (ne/kon — root). Together they denote the root from which misfortune grows.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated