始 shǐ — begin
电影八点开始。Diàn yǐng bā diǎn kāi shǐ.The movie starts at eight.
Common words: 开始 (kāi shǐ)、始终 (shǐ zhōng)、原始 (yuán shǐ)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "begin"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "begin", including 始 (shǐ), 创 (chuāng / chuàng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "begin" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 始 (shǐ), 创 (chuāng / chuàng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span shǐ, chuāng, chuàng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 始 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 始 shǐbeginUseful words: 开始, 始终
- 创 chuāng / chuànga wound; cut; injury; trauma; begin; initiateUseful words: 创造, 创作
Common words for these 2 "begin" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 始 (shǐ) — so "begin" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
开始kāi shǐto begin; beginning; to start; initial始终shǐ zhōngfrom beginning to end; all along原始yuán shǐfirst; original; primitive; original (document etc)创造chuàng zàoto create; to bring about; to produce; to set (a record)创作chuàng zuòto create; to produce; to write; a creative work创新chuàng xīnto bring forth new ideas; to blaze new trails; innovation
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "begin".
创 chuāng / chuàng — a wound; cut; injury; trauma; begin; initiate
这位画家创作了很多作品。Zhè wèi huà jiā chuàng zuò le hěn duō zuò pǐn.This painter has created many works.
Common words: 创造 (chuàng zào)、创作 (chuàng zuò)、创新 (chuàng xīn)
All 2 characters
Open 始、创 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.