元手

• Reading: もとで
• Romaji: motode
• Kanji breakdown: 元 (moto) — origin, original; 手 (te) — hand, means, resource
• Pronunciation: /motode/

Meaning

Capital; initial funds; seed money; the principal sum invested or risked before any profit is made.

Refers to the original capital or resources committed before any profit is made. 元手をかける means to invest initial funds; 元手がかからない (requiring no initial investment) describes low-cost ventures. The word also extends metaphorically — 信頼が元手 (trust is the foundation) — where 元手 means the core asset that enables an activity.

Examples

1. 少ない元手で始められるビジネスモデルが注目されている。 Business models that can be started with little initial capital are attracting attention.
2. 元手を回収するまでに三年かかると試算されている。 It is estimated that it will take three years to recoup the initial investment.
3. 若い頃の苦労が、今の元手になっていると彼は語った。 He said that the hardships of his youth became the foundation for what he has today.

Usage Guide

Context: business, investment, entrepreneurship, finance

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 元 (origin, original) and 手 (hand, means — here conveying what one has at hand as a working resource). Historically referred to the original stock of goods or money a merchant had before trading.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern to Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Business