肇 zhào to begin
to begin; to start; to originate
How to remember 肇: 户 door + 攵 tap + 聿 writing brush = to begin. On the first day, the teacher shuts the door, gives her desk a tap with a writing brush, and says it is time to begin.
Component breakdown
肇 = 𢼄 + 聿 writing brush
- 𢼄
- 户 door
- 攵 tap
- 聿 writing brush
On the first day, the teacher shuts the door, gives her desk a tap with a writing brush, and says it is time to begin.
How it is used
- Formal "to cause/originate." In modern use it's overwhelmingly 肇事 (zhàoshì) to cause an accident/incident and 肇事者 (zhàoshìzhě) the perpetrator - standard in traffic and news reports.
- Also 肇因 (zhàoyīn) the root cause. Bookish elsewhere; you won't hear it in casual speech.