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始
“to begin” in Japanese is 始, read shi, haji (し, はじ). It is a Grade 3 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 3 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 始める (to start).
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What does 始 mean?
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授業が始まる。
じゅぎょうがはじまる。The class begins.
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Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 始 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | to begin |
| Readings | し, はじ |
| Grade | Grade 3 (Medium) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 始める (to start) |
How to read 始
始 is read shi (し) or haji (はじ) depending on the word.
Words with 始
- 開始かいし
- 始めるto begin
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Kanji read the same way as 始
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Updated: 2026-08-28