始
beginning; start; only then
Meanings
4 senses · 19 examplesadjective
initial; original; beginning
Used to describe the first stage of something or the origin.
The Yellow Emperor is considered the earliest ancestor of the Chinese nation.
We must maintain a consistent attitude from beginning to end.
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Everything is hard in the beginning; a good start is half the battle.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
verb
to start; to begin
Indicates the commencement of an action or process.
The four seasons cycle and begin again; spring is here.
This bad practice did not start today.
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No one knows where this big fire started.
We plan to start work next week.
This story begins with passion and ends with abandonment, which is lamentable.
adverb
only then; not until
literaryUsed in formal or written contexts to indicate that something happens only after a condition is met.
The meeting did not conclude until 5 PM yesterday afternoon.
Only by continuously studying can one make progress.
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Only when one reaches the age of eighteen does one have the right to vote.
After reading this book, I realized that the ancients did not speak in vain.
Only when everyone agrees can the plan be executed.
noun
a surname
A rare Chinese surname.
Mr. Shi is a new teacher at our school.
In ancient Chinese history, the surname Shi was not common.
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Excuse me, is there a guest with the surname Shi here?
Ms. Shi is very famous in the art world.
We can address him as Mr. Shi.