元

(to be) (the) (most) supreme, sublime, first, first-rate, first class, preeminent, superlative, excellent, outstanding, ultimate, superior, unique, leading, finest, best, greatest, prime, primary, priority, principle; principal, chief, top, head, leader, lead, eldest, basic, fundamental, original, essential; (a, the) beginning, source, cause, basis, commencement, origin; most, supremely, extremely; -est; (the meaning was later watered down, and so this is incorrectly glossed in the Wings and elsewhere as Da4, 5943, great, grand, big, etc. Yuan in the Zhouyi is a superlative, not a superior comparative: most instead of more; best instead of better)

Radical: 10+2 | First occurrence: Hexagram 01.0