Dictionary › 始

始

shǐ

HSK 2 Character

What 始 means

1. to begin
2. to start
3. then
4. only then

Example sentences

• 开始！
  Action!
• 开始。
  Get started.
• 大家开始笑
  Dàjiā kāishǐ xiào
  They all began to laugh.
• 马上开始。
  Start now.
• 从头开始。
  Start at the beginning.
• 我开始跑。
  I began running.

Words starting with 始

• 始终shǐ zhōngfrom beginning to end; all along
• 始建shǐ jiànto start building
• 始末shǐ mòwhole story; the ins and outs
• 始祖shǐ zǔprimogenitor; founder of a school or trade
• 始终如一shǐ zhōng rú yīunswerving from start to finish (idiom)
• 始作俑者shǐ zuò yǒng zhě(lit.) the first person to make funerary figurines (idiom)…
• 始发shǐ fā(of trains etc) to set off (on a journey); to start (being issued or circulated)…
• 始料未及shǐ liào wèi jínot expected at the outset (idiom); unforeseen; to be surprised by the turn of events
• 始点shǐ diǎnstarting point; initial point
• 始新世Shǐ xīn shìEocene (geological epoch from 55m-34m years ago)
• 始新统shǐ xīn tǒngEocene system (geology)
• 始业式shǐ yè shìschool opening ceremony (to mark the start of a semester) (Tw)
• 始新纪shǐ xīn jìEocene (geological epoch from 55m-34m years ago)
• 始兴县Shǐ xīng XiànShixing, a county in Shaoguan City 韶关市
• 始祖鸟shǐ zǔ niǎoarchaeopteryx
• 始终不渝shǐ zhōng bù yúunswerving; unflinching
• 始兴Shǐ xīngsee 始兴县

Words containing 始

• 开始kāi shǐto begin; beginning; to start
• 原始yuán shǐfirst; original; primitive
• 创始人chuàng shǐ réncreator; founder; initiator
• 初始chū shǐinitial; starting (point)
• 秦始皇Qín Shǐ huángQin Shihuang (259-210 BC), the first emperor
• 自始至终zì shǐ zhì zhōngfrom start to finish (idiom)
• 伊始yī shǐoutset; beginning
• 起始qǐ shǐto originate
• 周而复始zhōu ér fù shǐlit. the cycle comes back to the start (idiom); to move in circles…
• 原始人yuán shǐ rénprimitive man; prehistoric human
• 原始社会yuán shǐ shè huìprimitive society
• 更始gēng shǐto make a new start; to regenerate
• 未始wèi shǐnot necessarily; may not turn out to be; maybe not
• 自始zì shǐfrom the outset; ab initio
• 报本反始bào běn fǎn shǐensure that you pay debts of gratitude (idiom)
• 重新开始chóng xīn kāi shǐto resume; to restart; to start afresh
• 创始chuàng shǐto initiate; to found
• 创始者chuàng shǐ zhěcreator; initiator
• 原始林yuán shǐ línold growth forest; primary forest; original forest cover
• 有始有终yǒu shǐ yǒu zhōngwhere there's a start, there's a finish (idiom); to finish once one starts sth…
• 有始无终yǒu shǐ wú zhōngto start but not finish (idiom); to fail to carry things through; lack of sticking power…
• 终而复始zhōng ér fù shǐlit. the end comes back to the start (idiom); the wheel comes full circle
• 至始至终zhì shǐ zhì zhōngfrom start to finish
• 原始码yuán shǐ mǎsource code (computing) (Tw, HK)

Characters built on 台

These share the phonetic component 台 (tái), which is why their readings rhyme. Learning them as a family is far cheaper than learning them one at a time.

• 治zhìto rule; to govern; to manage
• 怡yíharmony; pleased
• 笞chīto whip with bamboo strips
• 贻yíto present; to bequeath
• 饴yímaltose syrup
• 诒yí(archaic) to present; to bequeath; variant of 贻
• 眙yíused in 盱眙

Characters that look like 始

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 姐jiěolder sister
• 姓xìngfamily name; surname; to be surnamed ...
• 妨fángto hinder; (in the negative or interrogative) (no) harm; (what) harm
• 绘huìto draw; to paint; to depict; to portray
• 姑gūpaternal aunt; husband's sister; husband's mother (old)
• 劫jiéto rob; to plunder; to seize by force

Sounds the same

Read shǐ, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 使to make; to cause; to enable
• 史history; annals; title of an official historian in ancient China
• 驶(of a vehicle, horse etc) to go fast; to speed; (of a vehicle) to run; to go…
• 屎feces; excrement; a stool; (bound form) secretion (of the ear, eye etc)
• 矢arrow; dart; straight
• 豕hog; swine
• 乨old variant of 始
• 兘old variant of 始
• 宩old variant of 屎