始shǐ
to begin, to start; beginning. 8 strokes, radical 女, first met in HSK 3.
How to write 始
Strokes 1–3 write 女, then strokes 4–8 write 台.
Free, with no account: the app draws each stroke, then you write it and it says which stroke went wrong.
Print a 米字格 practice sheet for 始 · the stroke-order rules
What 始 is made of
女 (nǚ, woman) and 台 (tái, platform).
女 carries the meaning — woman — and 台 carries the sound.
Words that use 始
| 开始 | to begin 从这一刻起做一件事 惊蛰过后，田里的农活开始忙碌起来。After the Insects Awaken festival, farm work began to get busy. Lesson 205, 节令农事与忙碌收获 · 乡村农业与田园风光 · Rural Agriculture, Countryside Life & Harvest Seasons |
| 始终 | all along, from beginning to end 从开始到最后，一直都是这样 古老的文脉始终没有断绝。The ancient cultural thread has all along remained unbroken. Lesson 218, 华夏文脉与古今交融 · 历史纵横与名胜古迹 · Historical Chronicles, Dynasty Landmarks & Cultural Heritage |
| 原始 | primeval, original 指未经开发、保持最初状态 深入原始森林开展生态考察。The team ventured deep into the primeval forest. Lesson 517, 山水大美 · 温情相伴与厚德博雅 · Harmonious Living & Primeval Vistas |
Characters that share the sound part 台
Written with the same phonetic, so their readings tend to rhyme with each other.
More characters with the radical 女
All 24 of them, and what the radical means, on the 女 radical page.