开始

No base JSON record found for this token.

Character Breakdown

Usage of 开始 (kāishǐ)

Basic Meaning

开始 means "to begin" or "to start" and is used to indicate the initiation of an action, event, or process. It is a very common verb in daily conversation and formal contexts.

Temporal Use

It often appears with time expressions to specify when something starts, e.g., 电影开始?(What time does the movie start?).

Sequential Use

开始 can be used with phrases like 开始 (after starting) or 开始 (before starting) to talk about events relative to the start time.

Progressive Aspect

It can also express the beginning of a state or realization, e.g., 开始意识自己错误 (He began to realize his mistakes).

Common Collocations

Register and Tone

开始 is neutral and suitable for both spoken and written Chinese. It is polite and formal enough for business and academic contexts.

Common Confusion

Don't confuse 开始 with 开始 (gāng kāishǐ), which emphasizes the very recent start of an action. 开始 simply states the start without that immediacy.

Summary

Use 开始 whenever you want to clearly indicate the start of an action, event, or process, especially with time references or when emphasizing the initiation point.

Example Sentences

We will start a new project tomorrow.

What time does the movie start?

Please turn off your phone after the meeting starts.

He has been studying Chinese for two years now.

Before the competition starts, the contestants are all very nervous.

He began to realize his own mistakes.

Please start filling out the form from here.