原型

げんけい

prototype, model, archetypal

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Understanding 原型 (yuánxíng)

The term 原型 primarily means "prototype" or "original form." It is commonly used in contexts such as design, linguistics, and art to refer to the initial or original model from which others are derived.

Usage in Different Contexts

  1. Design and Engineering: 原型 refers to a prototype or model created before mass production or finalization. For example, a designer creates a 原型 to test ideas.

  2. Linguistics: It denotes the base form of a word, especially verbs, which is the form listed in dictionaries.

  3. Art and Culture: It can mean the original form or model that inspired later works, such as an ancient statue serving as a 原型 for modern sculptures.

Common Collocations

Notes

When using 原型, it often implies the original or fundamental form before any modifications. Avoid confusing it with similar words like 模型 (móxíng), which means "model" but can refer to any scale or representation, not necessarily the original.

Understanding 原型 helps learners talk about original forms in technical, linguistic, and artistic contexts with precision.

Example Sentences

This sculpture is the prototype of ancient deity statues.

The designer first made a prototype of the product, then conducted tests.

In linguistics, the verb's base form is the form found in dictionaries.