The character 始 — “beginning”: how to write it and what it means
beginning
The Chinese character 始 is read shǐ and means “beginning”. Below: the stroke order step by step, what the character is made of and the words it appears in.
Stroke order: how to write 始
始 has 8 strokes. At each step the new stroke is highlighted — write them in the same order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical, a frame before what is inside it, and the bottom stroke of the frame last.
To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for 始, with strokes to trace and empty squares.
What 始 is made of
On the left, 女 “woman”.
The parts of a character hint at its meaning or its reading — more in the article “Chinese character radicals”.
Words with 始
Frequently asked questions
How do you write the character 始?
始 has 8 strokes. They follow the usual rules: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside. The order of each stroke is shown on this page.
What does 始 mean?
始 means “beginning”. It appears in 开始 (“begin”), 始终 (“from start to finish”), 原始 (“primitive”).
How do you pronounce 始?
始 is read shǐ. The tone is part of the reading: with another melody it becomes another syllable.
How many strokes does 始 have?
8 strokes.
← 备 prepare着 particle: ongoing state →
More characters on the page “Chinese characters with meanings” and in the list of HSK characters by level; whole words are in the dictionary.
Write 始 yourself
In the lessons you write characters stroke by stroke with a finger or a mouse, and the course checks the order. You can start for free, no sign-up needed.
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