初始 (chū shǐ) — (literary) to begin, to start | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary verb 'to begin, to start,' almost always used with 于 (X ∼于 Y = 'X began at/in Y'). More formal and written than 开始; pairs with a location, time, or source rather than a bare action.

verb

(literary) to beginto start

Examples

初始。
Zhè ge xiàng mù chū shǐ yú qù nián.
This project began last year.
初始。
Yí qiè chū shǐ yú cǐ.
Everything begins here.
初始。
Gù shi chū shǐ yú yí gè yáo yuǎn de guó dù.
The story begins in a distant country.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

Both 初 and 始 point to a beginning, so together they mean to start or the onset.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

衤刀初

衤衣yīclothes
刀刀dāoknife; to cut

初 combines 衤 (clothes) and 刀 (knife), showing the start of making clothes by cutting cloth.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

女台始

Meaning part形符xíngfú

女女nǚwoman

Sound part声符shēngfú

台

台tái始shǐ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

始 is made of 女 (woman) and 台, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Change & Process

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