震源

• Reading: しんげん
• Romaji: shingen
• Kanji breakdown: 震 (shin) — earthquake, shake; 源 (gen) — source, origin
• Pronunciation: /ɕiŋ.ɡeɴ/

Meaning

Epicentre; earthquake origin point. The point within the Earth where an earthquake originates. Also used figuratively for the source of a disturbance.

A noun used in seismology and geophysics. 震源 refers to the hypocentre underground, while 震央 denotes the point on the surface directly above. In everyday Japanese usage, 震源 commonly refers to the general location of earthquake origin. The word also appears in figurative contexts, such as 問題の震源 (the source of the problem).

Examples

1. 今回の地震の震源は三陸沖の深さ約三十五キロと推定された。 The epicentre of this earthquake was estimated to be approximately thirty-five kilometres deep off the Sanriku coast.
2. 震源から半径二百キロ以内の地域で震度四以上の揺れを記録した。 Areas within a two-hundred-kilometre radius of the epicentre recorded seismic intensity of four or greater.
3. 研究者たちは地震計のデータをもとに震源を精密に特定した。 Researchers used seismograph data to pinpoint the epicentre with precision.

Usage Guide

Context: seismology, news, natural disasters

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 震 (earthquake, tremble) and 源 (source, origin). Literally 'the source of the trembling,' the term precisely describes the underground point from which seismic waves radiate.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal