开始

kāishǐ: 开始 - To Start, To Begin, Beginning

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: kaishi, 开始, how to say start in Chinese, begin in Chinese, Chinese verb for start, start Chinese, beginning Chinese, kaishi meaning, HSK 1 vocabulary, Chinese for beginners
  • Summary: Learn how to use 开始 (kāishǐ), the essential and most common Chinese word for 'to start' or 'to begin'. This comprehensive guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, practical usage in daily life, and cultural context. With 10 practical example sentences, this page will help beginners master the difference between 开始 (kāishǐ) and other similar terms, allowing you to accurately express the concept of a 'beginning' in Mandarin Chinese.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): kāishǐ
  • Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
  • HSK Level: HSK 1
  • Concise Definition: To start an action or a process; the beginning or outset of something.
  • In a Nutshell: 开始 (kāishǐ) is your go-to word for “start” and “begin” in Chinese. It's incredibly versatile and can be used for almost any situation, from starting a movie (verb) to talking about a new beginning in life (noun). It's a fundamental building block for learners and is used constantly in everyday conversation.

Character Breakdown

  • 开 (kāi): This character's original form depicts two hands opening a gate or door (門). Its core meaning is “to open,” which extends to concepts like “to start,” “to turn on,” or “to operate.”
  • 始 (shǐ): This character means “beginning” or “origin.” It is composed of the radical for “woman” (女) and a phonetic component (台). The “woman” radical hints at the concept of origin and birth, the ultimate beginning.
  • When combined, 开始 (kāishǐ) literally means “to open the beginning,” a very direct and powerful way to express the concept of starting something.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • 开始 (kāishǐ) itself is a direct, functional word, but it connects to a deep cultural appreciation for good beginnings. In Chinese culture, how you start something—a business, a year, a project—is believed to heavily influence its outcome.
  • This is reflected in concepts like 开门红 (kāiménhóng), literally “open door red,” which means achieving success right at the beginning of a new venture or the new year. Businesses often hold ceremonies on their first day of operation after the Lunar New Year to ensure a prosperous 开始 (kāishǐ).
  • Comparison to English: While “start” and “begin” are near-perfect translations, 开始 (kāishǐ) is more broadly used than the formal English word “commence.” You can use 开始 (kāishǐ) in virtually any context, from a casual “Let's start eating” to a formal “The ceremony will now begin.” In English, “commence” would sound overly formal in a casual setting, but a more formal Chinese equivalent like 启动 (qǐdòng) exists for specific contexts like launching a major project.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • As a Verb (to start an action): This is the most common usage. It is often placed directly before another verb.
    • e.g., 我 开始 学习。(Wǒ kāishǐ xuéxí.) - I start to study.
  • As a Noun (the beginning): It can refer to the concept of a beginning or the initial phase of something.
    • e.g., 这是一个新的 开始。(Zhè shì yīgè xīn de kāishǐ.) - This is a new beginning.
  • In the `从…开始` (cóng…kāishǐ) structure: This pattern means “starting from…” and is extremely common for specifying a starting point in time or sequence.
    • e.g., 从 今天 开始，我要减肥。(Cóng jīntiān kāishǐ, wǒ yào jiǎnféi.) - Starting from today, I'm going on a diet.
  • As a Command: In races, games, or official events, 开始! (Kāishǐ!) is used as the command to “Start!” or “Go!”.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 电影九点开始。
    • Pinyin: Diànyǐng jiǔ diǎn kāishǐ.
    • English: The movie starts at nine o'clock.
    • Analysis: A simple, common sentence structure stating the start time of an event. 开始 (kāishǐ) functions as the main verb here.
  • Example 2:
    • 我们开始吃饭吧！
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen kāishǐ chīfàn ba!
    • English: Let's start eating!
    • Analysis: Here, 开始 (kāishǐ) acts as an auxiliary verb before the main action `吃饭 (chīfàn)`. The particle `吧 (ba)` softens the sentence into a suggestion.
  • Example 3:
    • 你是什么时候开始学中文的？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ shì shénme shíhòu kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de?
    • English: When did you start learning Chinese?
    • Analysis: This uses the `是…的 (shì…de)` structure to ask for details about a past action, in this case, the time when the “learning” started.
  • Example 4:
    • 从下周一开始，这个商店每天都开门。
    • Pinyin: Cóng xià zhōuyī kāishǐ, zhège shāngdiàn měitiān dōu kāimén.
    • English: Starting from next Monday, this store will be open every day.
    • Analysis: This demonstrates the crucial `从…开始 (cóng…kāishǐ)` pattern, setting a clear starting point for a new routine.
  • Example 5:
    • 对于他来说，这是一个全新的开始。
    • Pinyin: Duìyú tā lái shuō, zhè shì yīgè quánxīn de kāishǐ.
    • English: For him, this is a brand new beginning.
    • Analysis: In this sentence, 开始 (kāishǐ) is used as a noun, modified by the adjective `全新的 (quánxīn de)`, meaning “brand new.”
  • Example 6:
    • 开始的时候，我不太习惯这里的天气。
    • Pinyin: Kāishǐ de shíhòu, wǒ bù tài xíguàn zhèlǐ de tiānqì.
    • English: In the beginning, I wasn't very used to the weather here.
    • Analysis: The phrase `开始的时候 (kāishǐ de shíhòu)` is a set expression meaning “at the beginning” or “initially.”
  • Example 7:
    • 老师说：“请大家从第一课开始复习。”
    • Pinyin: Lǎoshī shuō: “Qǐng dàjiā cóng dì yī kè kāishǐ fùxí.”
    • English: The teacher said: “Everyone, please start reviewing from Lesson One.”
    • Analysis: Another example of `从…开始 (cóng…kāishǐ)` being used for sequence, not just time. It indicates the starting point of an activity.
  • Example 8:
    • 雨开始下大了。
    • Pinyin: Yǔ kāishǐ xià dà le.
    • English: The rain started to get heavier.
    • Analysis: This shows 开始 (kāishǐ) used to describe the beginning of a change in state. `下大 (xià dà)` means “to fall heavily.”
  • Example 9:
    • 我们还没开始呢，请等一下。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen hái méi kāishǐ ne, qǐng děng yīxià.
    • English: We haven't started yet, please wait a moment.
    • Analysis: This shows the negative form, `还没开始 (hái méi kāishǐ)`, which means “have not yet started.” The `呢 (ne)` adds a sense of continuation or emphasis.
  • Example 10:
    • 预备，开始！
    • Pinyin: Yùbèi, kāishǐ!
    • English: Ready, set, go! (Literally: Prepare, start!)
    • Analysis: A classic command used in races and competitions. Here, 开始 (kāishǐ) stands alone as an imperative.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • `开始 (kāishǐ)` vs. `刚 (gāng)`: This is a very common point of confusion for beginners.
    • 开始 (kāishǐ) means “to start” an action. It refers to the beginning of the action.
    • 刚 (gāng) is an adverb meaning an action “just happened” or was completed very recently.
    • Incorrect: 我刚开始吃饭。(Wǒ gāng kāishǐ chīfàn.) This means “I just started to eat.” Learners often mistakenly use it to mean “I just ate.”
    • Correct (I just ate): 我刚吃饭。(Wǒ gāng chīfàn.)
    • Correct (Let's start the action of eating): 我们开始吃饭吧。(Wǒmen kāishǐ chīfàn ba.)
  • Using `开始` as a Noun: Remember that when you use 开始 as a noun (“a beginning”), you often need a measure word like `个 (gè)` before it.
    • Incorrect: 这是一个新开始。(Zhè shì yīgè xīn kāishǐ.)
    • Correct: 这是一个新的开始。(Zhè shì yīgè xīn de kāishǐ.) or 这是一个新的开端 (kāiduān). Using 开始 (kāishǐ) with a measure word is common, e.g. `一个好的开始 (yīgè hǎo de kāishǐ)` - a good start.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • `结束 (jiéshù)` - The direct antonym of 开始 (kāishǐ). It means “to end,” “to finish,” or “conclusion.”
  • `开头 (kāitóu)` - A noun that is a very close synonym for 开始 (kāishǐ) as a noun. It means “the beginning” or “the start,” often used for the beginning of a text, story, or speech.
  • `启动 (qǐdòng)` - A more formal and technical verb for “to start.” It's used for launching projects, starting engines, or activating systems. Think “launch” or “initiate.”
  • `着手 (zhuóshǒu)` - A verb meaning “to put one's hand to” or “to set about.” It emphasizes beginning the actual, hands-on work of a task.
  • `从...起 (cóng…qǐ)` - A slightly more formal or written synonym for the `从…开始` structure. It also means “starting from…”
  • `刚 (gāng)` - An adverb meaning “just now.” Crucially different from 开始 (kāishǐ) as it describes a recently completed action, not the start of one.
  • `当初 (dāngchū)` - A noun referring to a time in the past: “in the beginning,” “at first,” “originally.” Used to reflect on a past starting point.