Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "karyon" ita ce kamar haka:suna: nucleus na tantanin halitta, wanda ya ƙunshi kwayoyin halitta ta hanyar chromosomes.Kalmar. "karyon" ya fito daga kalmar Helenanci "karyon," wanda ke nufin "kwaya" ko "kwaya." Ana amfani da shi da farko a ilimin halitta don komawa zuwa tsakiyar tantanin halitta wanda ya ƙunshi bayanan kwayoyin da ake bukata don ayyukan tantanin halitta. Karyon yana kewaye da cytoplasm, wanda ya ƙunshi wasu gabobin da ke da alhakin ayyuka daban-daban na salula.