to start; to commence; the beginning
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to remove the wheel chocks to start a carriage; to commence; to begin
formalOriginally refers to the literal act of removing the chocks to allow a carriage to start moving. Now used almost exclusively as a metaphor for the beginning or inception of an era, movement, or major undertaking. It is a literary and formal term, not used in everyday speech.
Wǔ五
sì四
yùn运
dòng动
shì是
Zhōng中
guó国
xīn新
wén文
huà化
yùn运
dòng动
de的
fā发
rèn轫
。
The May Fourth Movement was the inception of China's New Culture Movement.
Zhè这
bù部
zuò作
pǐn品
shì是
tā他
wén文
xué学
chuàng创
zuò作
shēng生
yá涯
de的
fā发
rèn轫
zhī之
zuò作
。
This work was the inaugural piece that launched his career in literary creation.
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Xīn新
de的
gǎi改
gé革
cóng从
zhè这
lǐ里
fā发
rèn轫
，
yǐng影
xiǎng响
le了
zhěng整
gè个
guó国
jiā家
。
The new reforms commenced from here, influencing the entire nation.