始める

• Reading: はじめる
• Romaji: hajimeru
• Kanji breakdown: 始 (shi/haji) — to begin, to start
• Pronunciation: /ha.dʑi.me.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To start; to begin; to initiate something. A transitive verb for actively starting an action.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb. This is the transitive version — someone intentionally starts something. The intransitive counterpart is 始まる (hajimaru). Often attached to the stem of other verbs to mean 'start doing' (e.g. 読み始める, to start reading).

Examples

1. 日本語の勉強を始めました。 I started studying Japanese.
2. 来月からダイエットを始めます。 I'm going to start a diet next month.
3. そろそろ仕事を始めましょう。 Let's get started on work soon.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, work, hobbies

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese, sharing the same kanji 始 as 始まる. The kanji combines 女 (woman) and 台 (origin), referring to the act of initiating or beginning.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal