身元

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 身元 is a noun read みもと for a person's identity, status, or identifying background.
• Basic usage: It appears when documents verify identity or when someone reveals who they are.
  • 受付で身元を確認できる書類を見せた。 describes showing a document that can verify identity; 物語の旅人は最後まで身元を明かさなかった。 says that the traveler never disclosed their identity.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 身元を確認する
  • を marks identity as what is verified, and the document in the first example is the means of verification.
• 身元を明かす
  • 明かす means disclosing identity information that had been hidden. It is not limited to stating a name.
• 身元 and 名前
  • 名前(なまえ) is a name, while 身元 can cover the identity or background used to establish who a person is.