The Meaning of kaishi [開始] In Japanese

開始
かいし
Romaji: kaishi N5

What does 開始 mean?

Translation and Meaning

start, beginning, commencement

Definition

What does 開始 mean? It denotes the moment or act of beginning something—a formal or natural onset of a process, event, or activity. In everyday and formal Japanese, it marks the point at which preparation ends and action begins, often used with verbs like する to express the act of starting.

Type

Noun (suru-verb) (名詞, する動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Start or commencement of something such as a project, event, or program
  • The opening phase or onset of a process or sequence
  • A defined starting time or date, especially in schedules or announcements

Etymology

開 (open) + 始 (begin) form a Sino-Japanese compound read kaishi; the on’yomi readings kai and shi combine to convey the sense of initiating something.

Composition

  • 開 = open, to open
  • 始 = begin, start
  • Together they form a compound meaning the act or moment of beginning something

Usage

Used in formal, written, and spoken contexts to refer to the initiation of a plan, event, or process. It often appears with compounds like 開始する to express the act of starting, and with time-related terms such as 開始時刻 or 開始日 to designate the starting point in schedules, contracts, and announcements.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: think of opening a door to begin something — kai (open) plus shi (begin) visually cues the moment you move from preparation to action.

Variations

  • 始動 (shidō) – start-up, initiating operation
  • スタート (sutāto) – start, loanword
  • 始まり (hajimari) – beginning, noun
  • 着手 (chakushu) – to commence, to begin work
  • 終わる/終了 (shūryō) – end, antonym

Example Phrases

  • 夏休みの旅行計画を開始する準備を進めています。
    Natsuyasumi no ryokō keikaku o kaishi suru junbi o susumete imasu.
    I’m getting the summer vacation travel plan started.
    Lista:
    • 夏休み (Natsuyasumi) – summer vacation
    • の (no) – of / ‘s
    • 旅行計画 (ryokō keikaku) – travel plan
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 開始 (kaishi) – start
    • する (suru) – to do
    • 準備 (junbi) – preparation
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 進めています (susumete imasu) – am advancing
    「開始」 is a noun meaning ‘start’ used with する to form 開始する, taking the preceding noun phrase 夏休みの旅行計画 as its object.
開始