yuán

first

Pictograph of a person with a line added at the head area, representing the meaning the meaning "head" or "first".

Evolution

元 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
元 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
元 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
元 Clerical script Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Clerical script

Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
元 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

yuán

first; dollar; origin; head; currency unit (esp. Chinese yuan); original; primary; fundamental; constituent; part; era (of a reign); meta- (prefix); (math.) argument; variable; (Tw) (geology) eon

 

Yuán

surname Yuan; the Yuan or Mongol dynasty (1279-1368)

Most common words with 元
Freq.
Word
Meaning

first

美元

US dollar

元素

element

欧元

euro (currency)

元首

head of state

Component uses

Sound component in 16 characters (7 verified)

黿

Iconic component in 3 characters (3 verified)

Remnant component in 1 character (1 verified)