Definition

1. Noun:
   • Origin; source; root: The fundamental beginning, cause, or point from which something arises, develops, or is derived. It often refers to ancestral, cultural, or historical beginnings.
   • Fountainhead; wellspring: The primary source or foundational basis of something, such as a tradition, a river, or a lineage.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Anh ấy đi tìm hiểu cội nguồn của dòng họ. (He went to learn about the origin of his clan.)
  • Tình yêu thương là cội nguồn của hạnh phúc. (Love is the source of happiness.)
  • Con sông này có cội nguồn từ vùng núi phía Bắc. (This river has its source in the northern mountains.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in formal, literary, or philosophical contexts to discuss deep, foundational origins, rather than immediate or superficial causes.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe the root of abstract concepts like happiness, conflict, or wisdom.

Variants and Related Words

• Nguồn gốc (n): Origin, root. This is a more common, general synonym.

  • Anh ấy khai báo nguồn gốc xuất xứ của hàng hóa. (He declared the origin of the goods.)

• Cội rễ (n): Root (literally of a tree); foundation. Emphasizes a deeply embedded, foundational aspect.

  • Vấn đề đã ăn sâu vào cội rễ. (The problem has taken deep root.)

Synonyms

• Origin: The point or place where something begins.
• Source: The place, person, or thing from which something originates.
• Root: The basic cause, source, or origin of something.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Tìm về cội nguồn: To return to one's roots/source.

  • Nhiều kiều bào mong muốn tìm về cội nguồn. (Many overseas Vietnamese wish to return to their roots.)

• Cội nguồn văn hóa: Cultural origin/fountainhead.

  • Lễ hội này là một phần của cội nguồn văn hóa dân tộc. (This festival is part of the cultural origin of the nation.)