How to Say "Cornerstone" in Japanese

礎

The Japanese word for cornerstone is 礎.

礎 is used as a noun to refer to something that is fundamental, central, prominent or noteworthy.

Meaning: that which is prominent, fundamental, noteworthy, or central (noun)

How do you pronounce it?

The romanization is.

In traditional Japanese architecture, the 礎 refers to the foundation stones placed under wooden pillars to prevent rot from soil moisture. Unlike Western cornerstones, which are often decorative or ceremonial, these stones were purely functional and invisible once the building was complete.
The word 礎 is often used in the phrase 礎を築く, meaning 'to lay the foundation' or 'to build a cornerstone'. This expression is frequently used in Japanese professional settings to describe the hard work and sacrifice required to start a company or movement.
In Japanese, the word 礎 can be used to describe a person. Someone who sacrifices their own visibility to support another person's success is described as being the 礎 of that achievement.

それがこのプロジェクトの礎となります。
Sore ga kono purojekuto no ishizue to narimasu.
That will be the cornerstone of this project.
信頼は人間関係の礎だ。
Shinrai wa ningen kankei no ishizue da.
Trust is the cornerstone of human relationships.
教育は国家の礎である。
Kyouiku wa kokka no ishizue de aru.
Education is the cornerstone of a nation.

Yui and Kenta are discussing their startup business plan.

結衣 Yui

この技術が私たちの事業の礎になるかな？
Kono gijutsu ga watashitachi no jigyou no ishizue ni naru kana?
Will this technology become the cornerstone of our business?
健太 Kenta

もちろんだよ、結衣。非常に重要だ。
Mochiron da yo, Yui. Hijou ni juuyou da.
Of course, Yui. It is extremely important.
結衣 Yui

健太、もっと詳しく教えて。
Kenta, motto kuwashiku oshiete.
Kenta, tell me more about it.
健太 Kenta

この基盤を固めることが大切なんだ。
Kono kiban o katameru koto ga taisetsu nan da.
It is important to solidify this foundation.

Sources

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