BEGIN    開始始

ENDURINGLY STOP NOT to ACT OR to BE RESEMBLING:as in the PAST.
STARTCOMMENCESET ABOUTGO ABOUTEMBARK ONLAUNCH INTOGET DOWN TOTAKE UPINITIATESET IN MOTIONINSTITUTEINAUGURATEGET AHEAD WITHGET CRACKING ONGET GOING ON
Old Chinese Criteria
[ARCHAIC/CURRENT] [[COMMON/RARE]] [ELEVATED/VULGAR] [FORMAL/INFORMAL] 1. Shǐ 始 (ant. zhōng 終 "bring to an end; come to an end" and chéng 成 "bring to a successful end, complete") refers quite generally to the initiating of any action. But see also ARISE [GENERAL] 2. Zào 造 (all ant. jì 繼 "continue" and chéng 承 "continue") can come to refer to the beginning of an action. [ARCHAIC]; [[RARE]] 3. Chū 初 (ant. mò 末 "end") is purely chronological and refers to the early stage of something that persists, without indicating any lasting influence of that early stage on later developments. See FIRST 4. Qǐ 起 is sometimes used in a rather formal way for getting underway with a major activity. [FORMAL] 5. Qǐ 啟 typically refers to a deliberate act of initiation, by Heaven as well as by man, and the word generally belongs to the dignified style of historians or rhetoricians. [ELEVATED], [FORMAL] 6. Zhāo 肇 is an elevated and archaic word referring to the initiation of rituals and the like. [ELEVATED]; [[RARE]]
Modern Chinese Criteria
開始 is the current modern word for beginning. 肇始 (lit) is a recondite word for beginning. 托始 (lit) refers nominally to a beginning. 開端 focusses on the initial point of a development. 肇端 (lit) refers nominally to a beginning, in a very old-fashioned way. 造端 (lit) refers verbally to a beginning, in a very old-fashioned way. 發端 focussing on the beginning as point of origin. 開頭 kāitóu refers verbally to making a start with something. 上手 can refer to making start with something. 上馬 "get on the horse" refers figuratively to getting on with something immediately. 發軔 fārèn refers to setting something afoot. 起 始 開 啟 rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／
Hyponym
  • BIRTH　BEGINNING of LIFE. (anc: 14/0, child: 5)
  • FROM　BEGINING with in SPACE, in TIME. (anc: 14/0, child: 1)
  • OBTAIN　BEGIN to HAVE. (anc: 14/0, child: 5)
  • BECOME　BEGIN to BE something. (anc: 14/0, child: 1)
Antonym
  • ENDLATE LIMIT of a PERIOD OR REACH the LATE LIMIT of a PERIOD.
See also
  • ARISEThe EVENT that something BEGINS to EXIST.
  • ORIGINALLYAt the MOMENT when something BEGAN.
  • BECOMEBEGIN to BE something.
  • SOURCEThe PLACE where a RIVER OR BROOK BEGINS.
  • CAUSESITUATION OR THING which CAUSES something TO HAPPEN OR to be TRUE.
Hypernym
  • STOP　ACT so as NOT to CONTINUE NOW:present ACTION. (anc: 12/0, child: 10)
  • ACT　MOVE OR NOT MOVE CONFORMING to one's SELF:own DECIDE:decision. (anc: 11/0, child: 24)
  • MOVE　CHANGE PLACE OR SITUATION. (anc: 10/0, child: 21)
  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 14.25

  • De differentiis ( DIFFERENTIAE I) p. 7

    INITIUM.PRINCIPIUM

    289. Inter Initium et principium. Initium est rerum a quo quid incipit, ut fundamenta domus, carina navis; principium autem verborum exordium est.

  • Lateinische Synonyme und Etymologien ( DOEDERLEIN 1840) p.

    BEGIN

    incipere refers to the beginning as opposed to the non-presence of something before and the new state of affairs created by the beginning afterwards; and the antonyms are desinere, desistere, finire.

    ordiri refers to something beginning as the origin of a development or advancement, the antonyms being continuare and the intransitive pergere.

    inchoare refers to the beginning of something as opposed to finishing it, perficere, consummare, peragere, absolvere.

    coepi refers to an action beginning to happen in a colourless grammaticalised way, and the word is vtV.

  • Traite elementaire des synonymes grecques ( DUFOUR 1910) p. 30

  • 韓非子同義詞研究 ( HANFEI TONGYI 2004) p. 31

  • Lateinische Synonymik ( MENGE) p.

  • Handbuch der lateinischen und griechischen Synonymik ( SCHMIDT 1889) p. 84

  • 古辭辨 Gu ci bian ( WANG FENGYANG 1993) p. 12

  • Key Concepts in Chinese Philosophy ( ZHANG DAINIAN 2002) p. 107

  • Key Concepts in Chinese Philosophy ( ZHANG DAINIAN 2002) p. 207

  • The Encyclopedia of Philosophy ( BORCHERT 2005) p. 1.248

  • Logicheskii analiz yazyka ( ARYUTUNOVA 2002) p. 639

  • Bibliographisches Handbuch zur Sprachinhaltsforschung. Teil II. Systematischer Teil. B. Ordnung nach Sinnbezirken (mit einem alphabetischen Begriffsschluessel): Der Mensch und seine Welt im Spiegel der Sprachforschung ( FRANKE 1989) p. 59B

    • Words (34 items)

    始  shǐ OC: lʰɯʔ MC: ɕɨ 94 Attributions

    The general word for something occurring for the crucial and influential first time or initiating anything, in particular any development, is shǐ 始 (ant. zhōng 終"bring to an end; come to an end" and chéng 成 "bring to a successful end, complete").

      Word relations
    • Ant: 亂/END
    • Ant: 終/END The common noun referring to the final stage or final moment in a process is zhōng 終 (ant. shǐ 始 "beginning").
    • Ant: 卒/END Zú 卒 (ant. chū 初 "beginning") typically refers to a definitive and often abrupt end to a process which has lasted some time, but not for all the preceding time.
    • Contrast: 母/SOURCE
    • Contrast: 本/BASIS The basic word is běn 本 "the trunk, the main part" (ant. mò 末 "marginal part") and this word refers to the crucial constituent of something in any sense. [GENERAL], [STATIC]; [[COMMON]]
    • Assoc: 未/NOT
    • Synon: 初/BEGIN Chū 初 (ant. mò 末 "end") is purely chronological and refers to the early stage of something that persists, without indicating any lasting influence of that early stage on later developments. See FIRST
    • Synon: 祖/ANCESTOR Zǔ 祖 (ant. hòu 後 "offspring") is the current general term for genetic literal ancestors. [CURRENT], [LITERAL], [MALE]
    • Oppos: 從/CONTINUE
    • Oppos: 成/ACHIEVE The current general word for successful action on one's own behalf or on someone else's behalf is chéng 成 (ant. bài 敗 "fail to achieve; botch up"). [GENERAL], [LARGE-SCALE]; [VERB]

      Syntactic words
    • nab(post-N)beginning of NCH
    • nab.post-Nstatethe initial shape of N, how N was at the beginningLZ
    • nabmetaphysicalthe beginnings of things; beginning, the initial state as a dynamic state motivating what happens after that beginning; proper beginning; original cause, Greek: archē;
    • nsubjectopening piece, beginning piece (e.g. in a collection of poetry)
    • vadNbeginning, original; very early
    • vadSto begin with, in the beginning
    • vadVto begin with; in the beginning; for the first time, from the very beginning;
    • vito begin, originate; to start doing one's work; start off
    • vt+prep+Nbegin with, start from
    • vt+prep+Nabbegin with V-ingLZ
    • vt+prep+Vto start V-ingLZ
    • vt+V[0]to begin to V, start V-ing; to be at the beginner's stage of V-ing
    • vt+V[0]V=traditionbe the first to; inaugurate, initiate, start the tradition of, do something for the first time
    • vtoNfirst timedo something for the first time; come to do something for the first time
    • vtoNinchoativetake as one's starting point; to begin to work with, to start working at something (in Shijing 經始靈臺)
    • vtoVbegin to VCH
    初  chū OC: tshra MC: ʈʂhi̯ɤ 21 Attributions

    Chū 初 (ant. mò 末 "end") is purely chronological and refers to the early stage of something that persists, without indicating any lasting influence of that early stage on later developments. See FIRST

      Word relations
    • Ant: 卒/END Zú 卒 (ant. chū 初 "beginning") typically refers to a definitive and often abrupt end to a process which has lasted some time, but not for all the preceding time.
    • Ant: 後/LAST
    • Ant: 終/END The common noun referring to the final stage or final moment in a process is zhōng 終 (ant. shǐ 始 "beginning").
    • Epithet: 生/BIRTH Shēng 生 (ant. sǐ 死 "die") is a colourless general word for the fact of being delivered of offspring or for engendering offspring, and the word also has many derived and related meanings. [FACT], [+FIG], [GENERAL]; [[COMMON+]]
    • Contrast: 本/BASIS The basic word is běn 本 "the trunk, the main part" (ant. mò 末 "marginal part") and this word refers to the crucial constituent of something in any sense. [GENERAL], [STATIC]; [[COMMON]]
    • Synon: 始/BEGIN The general word for something occurring for the crucial and influential first time or initiating anything, in particular any development, is shǐ 始 (ant. zhōng 終"bring to an end; come to an end" and chéng 成 "bring to a successful end, complete").
    • Synon: 祖/ANCESTOR Zǔ 祖 (ant. hòu 後 "offspring") is the current general term for genetic literal ancestors. [CURRENT], [LITERAL], [MALE]

      Syntactic words
    • nabeventbeginning stage, beginning
    • npost-Nbeginning of the period N
    • vadNinitial, first; antecedent
    • vadVfrom the start
    • vadVfirst timeinitially; for the first time
    起  qǐ OC: khɯʔ MC: khɨ 7 Attributions

    Qǐ 起 (ant. qì 迄 "end up") typically emphasises the natural origination of something.

      Syntactic words
    • nabeventbeginning, riseCH
    • vichangecommence, get to be fully underway, start out (from); contrast the meaning in ARISE
    • vpostadVbegin to V
    • vt+prep+Vbegin by V-ing, make V-ing the starting pointLZ
    • vt[oN]causativecause to arise or begin things (in one's mind)
    • vtoNcause to arise> begin; start
    啟  qǐ OC: kheeʔ MC: khei 7 Attributions

    Qǐ 啟 typically refers to a deliberate act of initiation, by Heaven as well as by man, and the word generally belongs to the dignified style of historians or rhetoricians.

      Word relations
    • Object: 行/TRAVEL The standard word for travelling for any purpose is xíng 行.

      Syntactic words
    • vt+Nprobegin proceedings, begin a conversation
    • vt+V[0]open, begin
    • vtoNbegin (something N)CH
    • vtoNcausativecause to begin
    宗  zōng OC: tsuuŋ MC: tsuo̝ŋ 7 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nabfigurativeessential origin, venerable origin 萬物之宗
    肇  zhào OC: dawʔ MC: ɖiɛu 6 Attributions

    Zhāo 肇 is an elevated and archaic word referring to the initiation of rituals and the like.

      Syntactic words
    • vadVin the very beginning
    • vtoNinititate; begin; institute
    元  yuán OC: ŋɡon MC: ŋi̯ɐn 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nbeginning
    • nadNoriginalprimordial
    • nadNsequencethe first (year) 元年 nadN+S
    • nadSin the beginning, at the outset
    • nadVfrom the beginning > originally, basically
    太始  tài shǐ OC: thaads lʰɯʔ MC: thɑi ɕɨ 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPsingularthe great beginning
    先  xiān MC: sen OC: sɯɯn 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadVas the firstCH
    • vt+V[0]be the first to VCH
    端  duān OC: toon MC: tʷɑn 4 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Ant: 末/END
    • Contrast: 兆/OMEN The current general term for a presage is zhào 兆.
    • Synon: 原 / 源/SOURCE Yuán 源/原 refers to an original source, and this word is rich in metaphysical or abstract connotation. See BEGIN

      Syntactic words
    • nabbeginning; first symptom
    元本  yuán běn OC: ŋɡon pɯɯnʔ MC: ŋi̯ɐn puo̝n 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPabbeginning, origin
    • NPadVoriginally; basically
    初始  chū shǐ OC: tshra lʰɯʔ MC: ʈʂhi̯ɤ ɕɨ 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPt+V[0]be just about to V; be just beginning to V
    首  shǒu OC: qhljuʔ MC: ɕɨu 2 Attributions

    Shǒu 首 refers to the initiating of a sequence.

      Syntactic words
    • nabtimebeginning; fig: source
    • vadNfirst
    • vtoNto initiate
    先  xiān MC: sen OC: sɯɯn 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadVas the firstCH
    出  chū OC: khljud MC: tɕhʷit 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vt+prep+Nbegin with, start out with
    造  zào OC: sɡuuʔ MC: dzɑu 1 Attribution

    Zuò 作 and zào 造 (all ant. jì 繼 "continue" and chéng 承 "continue") emphasise creative initiative and come close to the notion of creation.

      Syntactic words
    • vtoNtake the initiative for something　HANSHU 造之者富，隨之者貧也
    太初  tài chū MC: thajH tsrhjo  OC: thaads tshra 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPabthe Great Beginning (of everything)CH
    始也  shǐ yě OC: lʰɯʔ lalʔ MC: ɕɨ jɣɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadVto begin with
    其始  qí shǐ MC: gi syiX OC: ɡɯ lʰɯʔ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NP-P.adSin the beginningCH
    乃  nǎi OC: nɯɯʔ MC: nəi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • padVat that time just
    兆  zhào OC: ɡrlewʔ MC: ɖiɛu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNinaugurate ZUO 兆其謀
    將  jiāng OC: skaŋ MC: tsi̯ɐŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vt+V[0]set out to V (SHU)
    朔  shuò MC: sraewk OC: sqrooɡ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabbeginningCH
    根  gēn OC: kɯɯn MC: kən 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • norigin, descent
    正  zhēng MC: tsyeng OC: tjeŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vadNread zhe1ng: first (of month)
    生  shēng OC: sraaŋ MC: ʂɣaŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vt+V[0]give rise to > begin to V
    作始  zuò shǐ OC: tsaaɡ lʰɯʔ MC: tsɑk ɕɨ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPiactmake a beginning, begin
    發  fā OC: pod MC: pi̯ɐt 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNinitiate, launch
    • vtoN.adVstarting from N to VCH
    立  lì OC: ɡ-rub MC: lip 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nab.-Nbeginning two weeks of the season N 立春 "beginning of spring"
    一  yī OC: qliɡ MC: ʔit 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    作  zuò OC: tsaaɡs MC: tsuo̝
    作  zuò OC: tsaals MC: tsɑ
    作  zuò OC: tsaaɡ MC: tsɑk 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vichange
      Click here to add pinyin MC:  OC: 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadVas the firstCH
      Click here to add pinyin MC:  OC: 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NP-P.adSin the beginningCH
    甫  fǔ OC: paʔ MC: pi̯o 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vtoNbegin (ZHOULI)