Definitions
(adjective)
first; original; primary
(noun)
basic unit of Chinese currency
(adjective)
fundamental; basic
(noun)
element; component
Etymology
Pictograph of a person with a line added at the head area, representing the meaning "head" or "first".
About
The character "元" originally depicted a human figure with an emphasized head, representing the concept of a "head" or "the beginning". Its early structure solidified into a form composed of two horizontal strokes above the component 儿, which represents a person, conceptually highlighting the head as the foremost part. From this concrete sense of a physical starting point, its meaning broadened to denote the abstract inception of anything, such as the first day of the year or the founding principle of an era. Over time, this foundational meaning further extended into domains like currency, where it signifies the primary unit, and into historical context as the name of a major dynastic period, consistently carrying connotations of primacy and origin.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个苹果一元钱。
我用了五元钱买苹果。
今天是元旦，我们放假。
公元2023年是很重要的一年。
“啊”是一个元音。
他是公司的创始元老。
学习需要元认知能力。
元数据描述了数据的属性。