Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 始

Level:N4 Low
Strokes:8
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji fundamentally means "to begin," "to start," or "beginning." It signifies the commencement of something, the point in time or space when something originates or comes into existence. It can refer to the start of an action, a period, a process, or an event. This character encapsulates the idea of initiating or instigating something new.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): (shi) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): はじ(める) (hajime(ru)) - to begin, はじ(まる) (hajima(ru)) - to begin (intransitive)

Usage Examples

⚫︎始まる(はじまる) Translation: To begin, to start (intransitive) ⚫︎開始(かいし) Translation: Start, commencement, beginning ⚫︎最初(さいしょ) Translation: The beginning, the first

Origin and Formation

The kanji is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). The left side is the radical (woman, female), and the right side is , which represents a platform or altar. The original meaning of might have been related to the beginning of a sacrificial ceremony or the commencement of something significant. It’s also proposed to represent a baby being born in ancient times. The combination suggests the beginning or origin of something.

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