原理
Meaning in Englishprinciple, theory, fundamental truth
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
原理 means the fundamental rule or mechanism that explains how something works, serving as the core concept behind a process, system, or phenomenon. It is used in science, engineering, philosophy, and everyday reasoning to describe the principle that governs behavior or operation.
Main meanings
- the underlying rule or mechanism that explains how something works (genri)
- the fundamental assumption or axiom used as the basis for a theory or argument (gensoku)
- the core principle behind a process or technology, often described as the principle of operation (genri)
- 第一原理 daiichigenri, the notion of first principles used as foundational reasoning
How to use it
Used in formal and technical contexts to denote the fundamental rule behind a process; phrases include 原理を〜する and 第一原理 referring to first principles; common in textbooks, papers, and lectures, with nuance depending on whether discussing natural laws, logical reasoning, or theoretical foundations.
Variants and close terms
- 法則 (ほうそく, housoku) — rule, law
- 原則 (げんそく, gensoku) — principle, guideline
- 理論 (りろん, riron) — theory
- 第一原理 (だいいちげんり, daiichigenri) — first principle
Composition
- 原 means origin, base or primitive foundation
- 理 means reason, logic, or rational principle
- the combination conveys a fundamental rule derived from underlying reasoning
Origin
The term entered Japanese through Sino-Japanese vocabulary from Classical Chinese, appearing in philosophical and scientific writings and becoming common in modern academic language during the Meiji period as Japan modernized and adopted Western science terms.
Word class
noun (名詞)