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始

始 — commence, begin

Learn the correct stroke order for 始 (commence), a 8-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 38 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 8
On'yomi (音読み)シshi
Kun'yomi (訓読み)はじ.めるhajimeru、-はじ.めるhajimeru、はじ.まるhajimaru
Strokes8
Radical女
Frequency#244
Meaningscommence, begin

Step-by-Step Diagram

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Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 8 — start from the green dot

Common Words

開始かいしstart; commencement; beginningnoun
原始げんしorigin; beginning; genesisnoun
始業しぎょうstart of work; commencement; openingnoun
始終しじゅうcontinuously; from beginning to end; from first to lastadverb
始動しどうstarting (a machine, engine, etc.)noun
始発しはつfirst departure (of the day); first train; first busnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 始 (commence) is taught in grade 3 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 8 strokes with radical 女.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 始 is #244, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

開始かいし — start; commencement; beginning
原始げんし — origin; beginning; genesis
始業しぎょう — start of work; commencement; opening

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (女)

女woman奴guy好fond如likeness妃queen妄delusion妥gentle妙exquisite

Same reading

自oneself思think使use死death私private止stop試test仕attend

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 始 have?

The kanji 始 (commence) has 8 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 始?

始 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 始 mean?

始 means: commence, begin. On'yomi readings: シ. Kun'yomi readings: はじ.める, -はじ.める, はじ.まる.

What JLPT level is 始?

始 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.