JLPT N2 · な-adjective

元々 (motomoto)

元々 (もともと, motomoto) is a Japanese な-adjective meaning “originally; from the start”. It is usually written in kana. It appears in JLPT N2 vocabulary lists and is marked as a common word in JMdict.

Reading: もともと
Romaji: motomoto
Word class: な-adjective
Level: JLPT N2 (unofficial)

Meaning

originally; from the start; from the beginning; from the outset; by nature · adverb, noun taking の · usually written in kana
none the worse (for); (coming out) even; in the same position (as before) · な-adjective, noun · usually written in kana · usu. as 〜て(も)もともと, 〜でもともと, etc.

Example sentences

彼らは元々あった文明を破壊した。

They destroyed the native civilization.

Tatoeba #97238

Sentences from the Tatoeba project, linked to this word in JMdict.

Conjugation of 元々

な-adjective. Plain and polite forms below; try any other word in the Japanese verb conjugator.

Form	Japanese	Reading
Present (plain)	元々だ	もともとだ motomotoda
Present (polite)	元々です	もともとです motomotodesu
Negative	元々じゃない	もともとじゃない motomotojanai
Past	元々だった	もともとだった motomotodatta
Negative past	元々じゃなかった	もともとじゃなかった motomotojanakatta
Te-form	元々で	もともとで motomotode
Before a noun	元々な	もともとな motomotona
Adverb (~ni)	元々に	もともとに motomotoni

Kanji in 元々

元

beginning, former time, originゲン・ガン・もと · 4 strokes

Related words

Other vocabulary sharing a kanji with 元々.

元気げんきlively元もとorigin足元あしもとat one's feet元日がんじつNew Year's Day元首げんしゅsovereign元素げんそelement還元かんげんrestoration元年がんねんfirst year (of an imperial era)元来がんらいoriginally手元てもとat hand地元じもとhome area

Source: JMdict entry 1605280 (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0). Level: unofficial JLPT list – how levels are assigned.