开始kāi shǐto begin; to start

1. 1.

   to begin; to startverb

2. 2.

   beginning; startnoun

• 开to start; to open; to turn on
• 始to begin; to start

Put 开始 before the verb or activity you start; for a planned start time, prefer 开始 over Verb + 起来.

1. HSK 1

   我们现在开始。

   Wǒmen xiànzài kāishǐ.

   We start now.

2. HSK 1

   他开始看了。

   Tā kāishǐ kàn le.

   He started looking / reading.

3. HSK 1

   你几点开始做？

   Nǐ jǐ diǎn kāishǐ zuò?

   What time do you start doing it?

4. HSK 2

   从今天开始。

   Cóng jīntiān kāishǐ.

   Starting from today.

开始 marks a planned or stated start of an activity. Verb + 起来 often marks a spontaneous start or change of state. Ask 你几点开始做？ for a planned start; 做起来 is not the usual way to ask that.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   我们现在开始吗？

   Wǒmen xiànzài kāishǐ ma?

   Do we start now?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   对，现在开始。

   Duì, xiànzài kāishǐ.

   Yes, we start now.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   你几点开始做？

   Nǐ jǐ diǎn kāishǐ zuò?

   What time do you start?

4. 
   Speaker B:

   我九点开始做。

   Wǒ jiǔ diǎn kāishǐ zuò.

   I start at nine.

5. 
   Speaker A:

   他开始看了吗？

   Tā kāishǐ kàn le ma?

   Has he started looking / reading?

6. 
   Speaker B:

   开始了。

   Kāishǐ le.

   Yes, he has started.

1. 1.Fill in the blank: 我们现在___。 (We start now.)

   A开始B起来C出去
2. 2.Which asks for a planned start time?

   A你几点开始做？B你几点做起来？C你做几点开始？
3. 3.Fill in the blank: 他___看了。

   A开始B把C很

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Related words

• 起来qǐ láito stand up; to get upHSK 2
• 现在xiàn zàinow; at present; currentlyHSK 1
• 做zuòto make; to produceHSK 1
• 到dàoto reach; to arriveHSK 1
• 了lecompleted action markerHSK 1
• 从cóngfrom; through; viaHSK 2

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