始 Kanji – commence
The Japanese kanji 始 can mean commence, begin.
Meaning and Readings
How is 始 read?
始 has the onyomi reading シ and the kunyomi readings はじめる, -はじめる, はじまる.
In romaji, these readings can be written as shi, hajimeru, hajimaru.
Common Japanese Words Using 始
These common Japanese words contain 始. Select linked kanji to explore their meanings and readings.
- 開始（かいし） — start, commencement, beginning, initiation
- 原始（げんし） — origin, beginning, genesis
- 後始末（あとしまつ） — settlement (of a matter), sorting out, winding up (affairs), dealing with the aftermath
- 始まる（はじまる） — to begin, to start, to commence
- 始める（はじめる） — to start, to begin, to commence, to initiate, to originate
- 始業（しぎょう） — start of work, commencement, opening
- 始終（しじゅう） — continuously, from beginning to end, from first to last
- 始動（しどう） — starting (a machine, engine, etc.)
- 始発（しはつ） — first departure (of the day), first train, first bus
- 始末（しまつ） — management, dealing with, settlement, cleaning up, disposal