This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

原語

Reading

Kana: げんご
Romaji: gengo
Kana
Romaji

Definition

1

original word; original language

Kanji

Readings: ゲン、 はら
Meanings: meadow, original, primitive, field, plain, prairie, tundra, wilderness
Readings: ゴ、 かた.る、 かた.らう
Meanings: word, speech, language

Example Sentence

日本語(にほんご)のむずかしさが、(いち)(にぎ)りの外国人(がいこくじん)(のぞ)いてすべての外国人(がいこくじん)が、原語(げんご)日本(にっぽん)文学(ぶんがく)(ちか)づくのを(さまた)げている。
➥The difficulties of the Japanese language prevent all but a handful of foreigners from approaching the literature in the original.
Full Entry➤