Usage of the character 始

to begin
to start
then
only then

zìshǐ

自始

[自始]

from the outset
ab initio

gēngshǐ

更始

[更始]

to make a new start
to regenerate

zhàoshǐ

肇始

[肇始]

to initiate
to start
the start

shǐmò

始末

[始末]

whole story
the ins and outs

yīshǐ

伊始

[伊始]

outset
beginning

wèishǐ

未始

[未始]

not necessarily
may not turn out to be
maybe not

Jiànshǐ

建始

[建始]

Jianshi County in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture 恩施土家族苗族自治州 ( Enshī Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu), Hubei

kāishǐ

开始

[開始]

to begin
beginning
to start
initial
CL:個／个 (gè)

shǐzhōng

始终

[始終]

from beginning to end
all along

shǐdiǎn

始点

[始點]

starting point
initial point

shǐjiàn

始建

[始建]

to start building

shǐfā

始发

[始發]

(of trains etc) to set off (on a journey)
to start (being issued or circulated)
to start (happening)
originating

chūshǐ

初始

[初始]

initial
starting (point)

chàngshǐ

倡始

[倡始]

to initiate

Shǐxīng

始兴

[始興]

Shixing County in Shaoguan 韶關／韶关 ( Sháoguān), Guangdong

yuánshǐ

原始

[原始]

first
original
primitive
original (document etc)

shǐzǔ

始祖

[始祖]

primogenitor
founder of a school or trade

chuàngshǐ

创始

[創始]

to initiate; to found

qǐshǐ

起始

[起始]

to originate

xúnshǐ

旬始

[旬始]

comet from Saturn, traditionally described as yellow
evil omen

Gùshǐ

固始

[固始]

Gushi county in Xinyang 信陽／信阳, Henan

yuánshǐrén

原始人

[原始人]

primitive man; prehistoric human

chūshǐhuà

初始化

[初始化]

(computing) to initialize
initialization

chuàngshǐrén

创始人

[創始人]

creator; founder; initiator

Shǐxīng Xiàn

始兴县

[始興縣]

Shixing County in Shaoguan 韶關／韶关 ( Sháoguān), Guangdong

chuàngshǐzhě

创始者

[創始者]

creator; initiator

Qín Shǐhuáng

秦始皇

[秦始皇]

Qin Shihuang (259-210 BC), the first emperor

shǐzǔniǎo

始祖鸟

[始祖鳥]

Archaeopteryx

Jiànshǐ Xiàn

建始县

[建始縣]

Jianshi County in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture 恩施土家族苗族自治州 ( Enshī Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu), Hubei

yuánshǐlín

原始林

[原始林]

old growth forest
primary forest
original forest cover

yuánshǐmǎ

原始码

[原始碼]

source code (computing) (Tw, HK)

shǐyèshì

始业式

[始業式]

school opening ceremony (to mark the start of a semester) (Tw)

shǐxīntǒng

始新统

[始新統]

Eocene system (geology)

Shǐxīnshì

始新世

[始新世]

Eocene (geological epoch from 55m-34m years ago)

Gùshǐxiàn

固始县

[固始縣]

Gushi county in Xinyang 信陽／信阳, Henan

shǐxīnjì

始新纪

[始新紀]

Eocene (geological epoch from 55m-34m years ago)

Qín Shǐhuánglíng

秦始皇陵

[秦始皇陵]

the tomb of the first emperor at Mt Li 驪山／骊山 ( Líshān) near Xi'an (awaits excavation)

shǐzuòyǒngzhě

始作俑者

[始作俑者]

lit. the first person to make funerary figurines (idiom)
fig. the originator of an evil practice

shǐliàowèijí

始料未及

[始料未及]

not expected at the outset (idiom)
unforeseen
to be surprised by the turn of events

shànshǐshànzhōng

善始善终

[善始善終]

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.

guànchèshǐzhōng

贯彻始终

[貫徹始終]

to follow through; to carry through to the end

chóngxīnkāishǐ

重新开始

[重新開始]

to resume; to restart; to start afresh

yǒushǐyǒuzhōng

有始有终

[有始有終]

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.

yǒushǐwúzhōng

有始无终

[有始無終]

to start but not finish (idiom); to fail to carry things through
lack of sticking power
short attention span

yīyuánfùshǐ

一元复始

[一元復始]

a new year begins (idiom)

zhōng'érfùshǐ

终而复始

[終而復始]

lit. the end comes back to the start (idiom); the wheel comes full circle

cónglíngkāishǐ

从零开始

[從零開始]

to start from scratch

shǐzhōngbùyú

始终不渝

[始終不渝]

unswerving
unflinching

zìshǐzhìzhōng

自始至终

[自始至終]

from start to finish (idiom)

bàoběnfǎnshǐ

报本反始

[報本反始]

ensure that you pay debts of gratitude (idiom)

yuánshǐshèhuì

原始社会

[原始社會]

primitive society

shǐzhōngrúyī

始终如一

[始終如一]

unswerving from start to finish (idiom)

zhìshǐzhìzhōng

至始至终

[至始至終]

from start to finish

zhōu'érfùshǐ

周而复始

[週而復始]

lit. the cycle comes back to the start (idiom); to move in circles
the wheel comes full circle

Qín Shǐ Huángdì

秦始皇帝

[秦始皇帝]

the First Emperor 259-210 BC

kāishǐyǐqián

开始以前

[開始以前]

before the beginning (of sth)

kāishǐbǐsài

开始比赛

[開始比賽]

to start a match
to kick off

Módēng Yuánshǐrén

摩登原始人

[摩登原始人]

The Flintstones (TV Series)

Qín Shǐ Huángdìlíng

秦始皇帝陵

[秦始皇帝陵]

the mausoleum of the First Emperor near Xi'an

yuánshǐrèdàiyǔlín

原始热带雨林

[原始熱帶雨林]

virgin tropical rainforest

qiānlǐzhīxíng,shǐyúzúxià

千里之行，始于足下

[千里之行，始於足下]

lit. a thousand mile journey begins with the first step
fig. big accomplishments come from an accumulation of little achievements made one by one