开始 kāishǐ begin
begin; to start; beginning
How to remember 开始: 开 open + 始 start = begin.
Characters
How it is used
- To begin/start, and 'the beginning': 开始上课 (kāishǐ shàngkè) class starts; 一开始 (yì kāishǐ) at first.
- Takes a verb directly - 开始工作 (kāishǐ gōngzuò) start working - where English needs 'to'.
- Opposite is 结束 (jiéshù, to end); 开始 marks the onset, not the whole process - 比赛结束了 (bǐsài jiéshù le) the match is over.
Example sentences
- 新学期开始了。 Xīn xuéqī kāishǐ le.The new semester has started.
- 演出开始了。 Yǎnchū kāishǐ le.The performance has started.
- 午饭才刚开始。 Wǔfàn cái gāng kāishǐ.Lunch has just started.
- 药开始起作用了。 Yào kāishǐ qǐ zuòyòng le.The medicine began to take effect.