The Meaning of hajime [始め] In Japanese

始め
はじめ
Romaji: hajime N5

What does 始め mean?

Translation and Meaning

beginning, start, outset

Definition

What does 始め (hajime) mean? 始め (hajime) is the noun that refers to the point or moment when something gets underway and is used to mark the commencement of an action, event, or period; it functions as a concrete noun for the initial phase and often appears with particles to locate that starting point in time or context.

Type

noun, adverbial noun (名詞・副詞的名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • 1. As an adverbial phrase (始めに (hajime ni)): used to introduce the first item or step in a sequence, equivalent to “first” or “to begin with”.
  • 2. To indicate origin or source in time: used when emphasizing that a state or condition existed from the outset rather than occurring later.
  • 3. As part of verbs and compounds: appears in verb stems and nominalizations to signal the action of starting (different grammatical roles depending on attachment).
  • 4. In contrastive nuance when written with different kanji forms: can carry subtle differences in nuance depending on orthography and context.

Composition

始 is the kanji carrying the core meaning ‘to begin; to start’; the attached kana め is a noun-forming ending that turns the verbal idea of starting into a concrete noun meaning ‘the act/state/point of beginning’, so 始め (hajime) literally packages the verb concept into a nominal ‘start’.

Usage

Used across spoken and written Japanese to refer to an initial point or to introduce the first item in a list; common in casual and formal registers, it appears with particles like の (no) to mean ‘the beginning of’, with に (ni) to mark ‘at the start’, and as the stem of verbs such as 始める (hajimeru) and 始まる (hajimaru) to form verbal expressions of starting—widely used in instructions, narratives, presentations, and everyday remarks about sequence or timing.
💡 Tips
Link the sound hajime to the image ‘HA! JIM—eh? The gym class begins’ to remember that 始め (hajime) marks the very first moment or action; think of the shout before a race starts.

Variations

  • 初め (hajime) — beginning (often used for ‘first time’ or the very first occurrence)
  • 開始 (kaishi) — commencement, start (more formal, administrative)
  • スタート (sutaato) — start (loanword, casual or sporty contexts)
  • 終わり (owari) — end (antonym)

Example Phrases

  • 友達とランチ後に対決するクイズを始めた。
    tomodachi to ranchi-go ni taiketsu suru kuizu o hajimeta
    I started a quiz showdown with a friend after lunch.
    Lista:
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with a friend
    • ランチ後に (ranchi-go ni) – after lunch
    • 対決する (taiketsu suru) – to have a showdown
    • クイズを (kuizu o) – quiz
    • 始めた (hajimeta) – started
    In this sentence, 「対決」 is a noun meaning ‘showdown’ that combines with する to form the verb ‘to have a showdown’.
  • 再来月、私は新しい仕事を始める予定だ。
    Saraigetsu, watashi wa atarashii shigoto o hajimeru yotei da.
    I’m planning to start a new job the month after next.
    Lista:
    • 再来月 (saraigetsu) – the month after next
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • 新しい (atarashii) – new
    • 仕事を (shigoto o) – work (object marker)
    • 始める (hajimeru) – begin
    • 予定だ (yotei da) – it’s planned
    The target time word 「再来月」 means ‘the month after next’ and is used to refer to a future date.
  • 私たちは合同で新しいプロジェクトを始める。
    Watashitachi wa gōdō de atarashii purojekuto o hajimeru.
    We will start a new project together.
    Lista:
    • 私たちは (watashitachi wa) – we
    • 合同で (gōdō de) – jointly
    • 新しい (atarashii) – new
    • プロジェクトを (purojekuto o) – project
    • 始める (hajimeru) – start
    Use of 「合同」 with で to express joint action; 「合同」 means ‘joint/combined’ and shows that the action is done together.
  • 学校の機材を整備してから授業を始める。
    Gakkō no kizai o seibi shite kara kyō jugyō o hajimeru.
    We start class today after maintaining the school’s equipment.
    Lista:
    • 学校の機材を (gakkō no kizai o) – the school’s equipment
    • 整備してから (seibi shite kara) – after performing maintenance
    • 今日 (kyō) – today
    • 授業を (jugyō o) – class
    • 始める (hajimeru) – start
    Core grammar: 「整備してから」 expresses ‘after doing maintenance’.
  • 新しい 道具を 棚から 出して すぐに 使い始めた。
    atarashii dōgu o tana kara dashite, sugu ni tsukai hajimeta.
    I pulled out the new tool from the shelf and started using it.
    Lista:
    • 新しい (atarashii) – new
    • 道具を (dōgu o) – tool (object marker)
    • 棚から (tana kara) – from the shelf
    • 出して (dashite) – taking out
    • すぐに (sugu ni) – immediately
    • 使い始めた (tsukai hajimeta) – started using
    The noun 「道具」 (‘tool’) is the direct object here, modified by 新しい.
始め