The kanji 元 primarily conveys the idea of "origin," "beginning," or "source." It can also signify "foundation," "primary," or "original." It often implies the starting point or the essence of something.

・On-yomi (音読み): げん (gen), がん (gan) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): もと (moto)

⚫︎ 元気（げんき） Translation: Health; energy; vitality. ⚫︎ 元旦（がんたん） Translation: New Year's Day. ⚫︎ 元（もと） Translation: Origin; source; the former.

The kanji 元 is an ideogrammic compound. It originally depicted a person (represented by the top stroke) and a line (representing something beneath). Over time, the form evolved. The original meaning relates to a human being, as the primary or most important thing, leading to the broader concept of "origin" or "beginning".