Japanese symbol for “start”
開始
かいし
Romaji: kaishi
start; commencement; beginning; initiation
In Japanese, start is 開始, read かいし (kaishi).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n, vi, vs start; commencement; beginning; initiation
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “start”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 始める | はじめる hajimeru | to start; to begin; to commence |
| 始め | はじめ hajime | beginning; start; outset |
| 始まり | はじまり hajimari | origin; beginning; start |
| 当初 | とうしょ tousho | beginning; start; outset |
| 冒頭 | ぼうとう boutou | beginning; opening; start |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 開催 | かいさい kaisai | holding (a conference, exhibition, etc.); opening; hosting (e.g. the Olympics) |
| 公開 | こうかい koukai | opening to the public; making available to the public; exhibiting |
| 開発 | かいはつ kaihatsu | development; cultivation; application |
| 展開 | てんかい tenkai | development; evolution; progression |
| 開放 | かいほう kaihou | opening (a door, window, etc.); leaving open |
| 始め | はじめ hajime | beginning; start; outset |
| 始まり | はじまり hajimari | origin; beginning; start |
| 始める | はじめる hajimeru | to start; to begin; to commence |
See also: Chinese symbol for “start”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.