开始 (kāi shǐ) — to begin in Mandarin
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#94 most common word · HSK 2 · CEFR A2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
开始 is pronounced kāi shǐ. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
shàng kè kāi shǐ le.
Class has started.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 开始 mean?+
开始 (kāi shǐ) means "to begin" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 开始?+
开始 is pronounced kāi shǐ. It uses the tone 1 (high flat), then the tone 3 (rising/dipping). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 开始 in Mandarin?+
开始 is the #94 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 开始 fits
Every HSK 2 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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