起 qǐ to rise / to raise / to get up / to set out / to start / to appear / to launch / to initiate (action) / to draft / to establish / to get (from a depot or counter) / verb suffix, to start / starting from (a time, place, price etc) / classifier for occurrences or unpredictable events: case, instance / classifier for groups: batch, group syn 开拍 開拍 kāi pāi to begin shooting (a movie, a scene of a movie etc) / to start the bidding (auction) / to start a trading session (stock market) syn 开学 開學 kāi xué (of a student) to start school / (of a semester) to begin / (old) to found a school / the start of a new term syn 起跳 qǐ tiào (athletics) to take off (at the start of a jump) / (of price, salary etc) to start (from a certain level) 起跑 qǐ pǎo to start running / the start of a race syn 另起炉灶 另起爐灶 lìng qǐ lú zào lit. to set up a separate kitchen (idiom) / to start from scratch / back to square one / to start of on a new path syn 始发 始發 shǐ fā (of trains etc) to set off (on a journey) / to start (being issued or circulated) / to start (happening) / originating syn 破土 pò tǔ to break ground / to start digging / to plough / to break through the ground (of seedling) / fig. the start of a building project syn 肇始 zhào shǐ to initiate / to start / the start syn 改过自新 改過自新 gǎi guò zì xīn to reform and start afresh (idiom) / to turn over a new leaf syn 开始 開始 kāi shǐ to begin / beginning / to start / initial / CL:個|个[ge4] syn 开 開 kāi to open (transitive or intransitive) / (of ships, vehicles, troops etc) to start / to turn on / to put in operation / to operate / to run / to boil / to write out (a prescription, check, invoice etc) / (directional complement) away / off / carat (gold) / abbr. for Kelvin, 開爾文|开尔文[Kai1er3wen2] / abbr. for 開本|开本[kai1ben3], book format syn 出发 出發 chū fā to set off / to start (on a journey) syn 上班 shàng bān to go to work / to be on duty / to start work / to go to the office syn 启动 啟動 qǐ dòng to start (a machine) / (fig.) to set in motion / to launch (an operation) / to activate (a plan) syn 开口 開口 kāi kǒu to open one's mouth / to start to talk syn 开火 開火 kāi huǒ to open fire / to start shooting / to light the flame (for cooking) syn 下手 xià shǒu to start / to put one's hand to / to set about / the seat to the right of the main guest syn 起飞 起飛 qǐ fēi (of an aircraft or rocket) to take off / to lift off / (fig.) (of an enterprise etc) to start to develop rapidly syn 发动 發動 fā dòng to start / to launch / to unleash / to mobilize / to arouse syn 开头 開頭 kāi tóu beginning / to start syn 开场 開場 kāi chǎng to begin / to open / to start / beginning of an event syn 说来话长 說來話長 shuō lái huà cháng start explaining and it's a long story (idiom) / complicated and not easy to express succinctly syn 开工 開工 kāi gōng to begin work (of a factory or engineering operation) / to start a construction job syn 开启 開啟 kāi qǐ to open / to start / (computing) to enable syn 从头 從頭 cóng tóu anew / from the start syn 着手 著手 zhuó shǒu to put one's hand to it / to start out on a task / to set out syn 上路 shàng lù to start on a journey / to be on one's way syn 开战 開戰 kāi zhàn to start a war / to make war / to battle against syn 点火 點火 diǎn huǒ to ignite / to light a fire / to agitate / to start an engine / ignition / fig. to stir up trouble syn 发起 發起 fā qǐ to originate / to initiate / to launch (an attack, an initiative etc) / to start / to propose sth (for the first time) syn 话说 話說 huà shuō It is said that ... (at the start of a narrative) / to discuss / to recount 出动 出動 chū dòng to start out on a trip / to dispatch troops syn 开动 開動 kāi dòng to start / to set in motion / to move / to march / to dig in (eating) / to tuck in (eating) syn 年头 年頭 nián tóu start of the year / whole year / a particular year / period / days / epoch / a year's harvest syn 搭讪 搭訕 dā shàn to hit on someone / to strike up a conversation / to start talking to end an awkward silence or embarrassing situation syn 一贯 一貫 yī guàn consistent / constant / from start to finish / all along / persistent syn 开端 開端 kāi duān start / beginning syn 始 shǐ to begin / to start / then / only then syn 起步 qǐ bù to set out / to set in motion / the start (of some activity) syn 启用 啟用 qǐ yòng to start using / (computing) to enable (a feature) 开创 開創 kāi chuàng to initiate / to start / to found syn 领头 領頭 lǐng tóu to take the lead / to be first to start syn 开机 開機 kāi jī to start an engine / to boot up (a computer) / to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete / to begin shooting a film or TV show 惊醒 驚醒 jīng xǐng to rouse / to be woken by sth / to wake with a start / to sleep lightly 打响 打響 dǎ xiǎng to start shooting or firing / to win an initial success / to succeed (of a plan) syn 记事 記事 jì shì to keep a record of events / record / to start to form memories (after one's infancy) syn 开办 開辦 kāi bàn to open / to start (a business etc) / to set up syn 交朋友 jiāo péng you to make friends / (dialect) to start an affair with sb 自始至终 自始至終 zì shǐ zhì zhōng from start to finish (idiom) syn 先行 xiān xíng to start off before the others / to precede / to proceed in advance syn 白手起家 bái shǒu qǐ jiā (idiom) to build up from nothing / to start from scratch syn 翩翩起舞 piān piān qǐ wǔ (to start) dancing lightly and gracefully syn 开窍 開竅 kāi qiào to get it straight / to start to understand things properly / enlightenment dawns syn 创业 創業 chuàng yè to begin an undertaking / to start an enterprise / entrepreneurship 破镜重圆 破鏡重圓 pò jìng chóng yuán a shattered mirror put back together (idiom) / (of marriage) to pick up the pieces and start anew / for a separated couple to reconcile and reunite syn 发芽 發芽 fā yá (of a seed) to germinate / (of a plant) to sprout / to bud / (fig.) (of an idea or plan etc) to start to develop syn 开赛 開賽 kāi sài to start a match / the kick-off syn 奋起 奮起 fèn qǐ to rise vigorously / a spirited start syn 起家 qǐ jiā to start out by / to grow an enterprise beginning with / to begin one's career by syn 引燃 yǐn rán to ignite / to start (a fire) / (fig.) to spark (debate, conflict etc) syn 张口 張口 zhāng kǒu to open one's mouth (to eat, speak etc) / to gape / to start talking (esp. to make a request) 造谣 造謠 zào yáo to start a rumor syn 出任 chū rèn to take up a post / to start in a new job syn 出道 chū dào to start one's career / (of an entertainer) to make one's debut syn 动工 動工 dòng gōng to start (a building project) syn 上下班 shàng xià bān to start and finish work 端点 端點 duān diǎn end point (may refer to either end of sth with a start and an end) / (math.) endpoint 起动 起動 qǐ dòng to start up (a motor) / to launch (a computer application) syn 启齿 啟齒 qǐ chǐ to open one's mouth / to start talking syn 有始有终 有始有終 yǒu shǐ yǒu zhōng where there's a start, there's a finish (idiom) / to finish once one starts sth / to carry things through / I started, so I'll finish. syn 吞吞吐吐 tūn tūn tǔ tǔ to hum and haw (idiom) / to mumble as if hiding sth / to speak and break off, then start again / to hold sth back syn 始终如一 始終如一 shǐ zhōng rú yī unswerving from start to finish (idiom) syn 开篇 開篇 kāi piān start of literary work / opening song of ballad in Tanci style 彈詞|弹词[tan2 ci2] syn 善始善终 善始善終 shàn shǐ shàn zhōng where there's a start, there's a finish (idiom) / to finish once one starts sth / to carry things through / I started, so I'll finish. syn 上工 shàng gōng to go to work / to start work syn 开挖 開挖 kāi wā to dig out / to excavate / to scoop out / to start digging syn 虎头蛇尾 虎頭蛇尾 hǔ tóu shé wěi lit. tiger's head, snake's tail (idiom) / fig. a strong start but weak finish syn 动土 動土 dòng tǔ to break ground (prior to building sth) / to start building syn 燎原 liáo yuán to start a prairie fire 周而复始 週而復始 zhōu ér fù shǐ lit. the cycle comes back to the start (idiom) / to move in circles / the wheel comes full circle syn 成家立业 成家立業 chéng jiā lì yè to get married and start a career (idiom) / to settle down / to establish oneself syn 行将 行將 xíng jiāng ready to start on sth / about to act syn 逢凶化吉 féng xiōng huà jí misfortune turns to blessing (idiom) / to turn an inauspicious start to good account syn 开拔 開拔 kāi bá to set out (of troops) / departure / start date (of military expedition) syn 开锅 開鍋 kāi guō to season a wok / to take the lid off a pot / (of the contents of a pot) to start to boil / (fig.) to become rowdy syn 开腔 開腔 kāi qiāng to speak out / to start speaking syn 寻衅 尋釁 xún xìn to pick a quarrel / to start a fight syn 结仇 結仇 jié chóu to start a feud / to become enemies syn 开讲 開講 kāi jiǎng to begin a lecture / to start on a story syn 始建 shǐ jiàn to start building syn 旗开得胜 旗開得勝 qí kāi dé shèng lit. to win a victory on raising the flag (idiom) / fig. to start on sth and have immediate success / success in a single move syn 倒叙 倒敘 dào xù to start a narrative at the end (or midway), then proceed chronologically from the beginning / to flash back / flashback (in a novel, movie etc) 创刊 創刊 chuàng kān to start publishing / to found a journal 落笔 落筆 luò bǐ to put pen to paper / to start to write or draw syn 别开生面 別開生面 bié kāi shēng miàn to start sth new or original (idiom) / to break a new path / to break fresh ground syn 诸君 諸君 zhū jūn Gentlemen! (start of a speech) / Ladies and Gentlemen! syn 重来 重來 chóng lái to start over / to do sth all over again 上头 上頭 shàng tóu (of alcohol, love etc) to go to one’s head / (of an idea, a song etc) to get into one's head / to capture one's attention / (old) (of a girl on her wedding day) to start wearing one's hair in a bun (rather than a plait) syn 