プログレッシブ和英中辞典(第4版)の解説
もと【元】
❶〔起こり〕the origin ((of a thing))
元は originally
事件の元をたどる
trace the incident to its origin／look into 「the background of the case [the cause of the incident]
この計画は元は彼が考え出したものである
This plan originated with him.
失敗は成功の元
Failure is but a steppingstone to success.
口は禍(わざわい)の元
The less said, the better.
❷〔原因，根源〕the cause
けんかの元
the cause of a quarrel
あの大火の元はたばこの不始末だった
That great fire was caused by careless handling of a cigarette.
使い込みが元で彼は会社を首になった
He was fired because he had misappropriated company funds.／His embezzlement of company funds led to his dismissal.
❸〔以前〕
元首相
an ex-premier
元の同僚
a former colleague
大スターも元は田舎の小娘に過ぎなかった
The great star had originally been just a country girl.
読んだら元の所に戻しておいてください
Please put the book back where it was when you have finished with it.
ここは元は荒れ地だった
This was once wasteland.
命はとりとめたが，元の体にはならなかった
Though his life was saved, he never regained his former strength.
❹〔原料〕(raw) material(s)
この薬は樹皮を元にして作ったものである
This medicine is made from the bark of a tree.
❺〔元手〕capital
元がかかる事業
an enterprise which requires heavy investment
この商売は元がとれない
This business doesn't pay.
元の鞘(さや)に収まる
あの夫婦は元の鞘に収まった
The couple got back together again.
元の木阿弥(もくあみ)
株の大暴落で元の木阿弥となった
Because of the fall in stocks, 「my gains came to nothing [I was right back where I started].
結局元の木阿弥だった
After all I was no better off than before.／In the end I lost all I had gained.
元も子もない
これだけしか払ってもらえないのでは，元も子もない
If this is all 「you're going to [you can] pay me, 「I'll get absolutely nothing out of it [it'll be a total loss for me].
げん【元】
❶〔中国の朝廷〕the Yuan [Mongol] (dynasty)
❷〔中国の通貨の単位〕a yuan
❸〔代数方程式の未知数〕the unknown value in an algebraic equation; x
一元一次方程式
a simple equation