Recognize 始 in words such as 始まる and 開始; connect each whole word with its reading and meaning.

The idea

Common Chinese-derived readings include シ. Japanese-origin readings include はじまる・はじめる. Compare 始まる (はじまる) with 開始 (かいし). 始 has 8 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
始まるはじまるto begin (intransitive)
開始かいしstart; commencement
始めるはじめるto begin something (transitive)

Examples

  • 授業じゅぎょうは九時半くじはんに始はじまります。Class starts at half past nine.
  • 映画えいがは何時なんじに始はじまりますか。What time does the film start?
  • 新あたらしい年としが始はじまりました。A new year has begun.
  • 日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうを始はじめました。I started studying Japanese.
  • 試合しあいは三時さんじに開始かいしします。The match starts at three.
  • 雨あめが降ふり始はじめました。It started raining.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

始まる describes an event starting; 始める takes an object. A verb stem plus 始める means starting an action. Compare 始 with 台: look for 女 in 始.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 始まる in hiragana.

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    はじまる

    始まる is read はじまる; the whole word means to begin (intransitive).

  2. Write the reading of 開始 in hiragana.

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    かいし

    開始 is read かいし; the whole word means start; commencement.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿める（はじめる）.

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    始

    始 completes 始める, read はじめる; the whole word means to begin something (transitive).

Use it today

Cover the table, write 始 from memory, and read 始まる and 開始 aloud. Make a sentence, then check the readings and meanings.