How to say "beginning" in Japanese

• 最初さいしょJLPT N4approx.Common
  no-adjective, adverbThe earliest point or stage of something, often contrasted with what happens later: the opening of a film, the first part of a talk, how things were at first.
  その考かんがえは最初さいしょのうちはばかげているように思おもえた。↗

  The idea seemed absurd at first.
• 元もとJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounReally means origin or source — where something comes from — and covers 'beginning' only in that sense; for the start of an event, meeting, or story it is seldom the word you want.
  やってしまったことは元もとに戻もどらない。↗

  What is done cannot be undone.
• スタートJLPT N2approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe loanword for the moment something kicks off — a race, a project, a new venture — emphasizing the act of starting rather than an early stretch of time.
  子供こどもらは二人ふたり一いち組くみになったスタートした。↗

  The children started in pairs.
• はじめJLPT N5approx.Common
  noun, adverbThe general, all-purpose word for the beginning of something — an event, a period, a piece of writing — covering the opening point or earliest stage without a special nuance.
  旅行りょこうの初はじめの二ふた日間かかんは雨降あめふりだった。↗

  The first two days of my trip were rainy.
• 当初とうしょCommon
  no-adjectiveThe outset of a plan, project, or undertaking, typically viewed in retrospect: how things stood or were intended at the beginning, often with later developments in mind.
  その会合かいごうは当初とうしょの予定よていどおりに開催かいさいされた。↗

  The meeting was held as intended at the outset.

Use 最初 or 「はじめ」 for the earliest point or stage of something, 「スタート」 for the moment an event or project kicks off, 当初 for the outset of a plan viewed in retrospect, and 元 only for origin or source.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 最初さいしょbeginning
• 元もとorigin
• スタートstart
• はじめbeginning
• 当初とうしょbeginning
• 冒頭ぼうとうbeginning
• 開始かいしstart
• 始まりはじまりorigin
• 初頭しょとうbeginning (of a century, etc.)
• 書き出しかきだしbeginning (of writing)
• 糸口いとぐちbeginning
• 皮切りかわきりbeginning
• 立ち上がりたちあがりstart
• 原点げんてんstarting point
• 原始げんしorigin
• 真っ先まっさきthe head
• 起源きげんorigin
• 巻頭かんとうbeginning (of a book, magazine, etc.)
• 草創そうそうbeginning
• 曙あけぼのdawn
• 手始めてはじめoutset
• 原初げんしょorigin
• 端緒たんしょstart
• 初期しょきearly days
• 起こりおこりsource
• 着手ちゃくしゅstarting work (on)
• 発端ほったんorigin
• 口切りくちきりstart broaching (a subject)
• 端たんorigin
• 出だしでだしstart
• 開けひらけbeginning
• 緒しょbeginning
• ビギンbeginning
• 劈頭へきとうbeginning
• 本初ほんしょbeginning
• 巻首かんしゅbeginning (of a scroll, book, etc.)
• 初口しょくちbeginning
• ビギニングbeginning
• とっかかりbeginning
• とっつきbeginning
• やりだしbeginning
• 滑り出しすべりだしstart
• 起始きしstart
• 蓋開けふたあけopening
• 濫觴らんしょうsource
• 真先まさきthe head
• よってきたるoriginating
• 仕初めしぞめoutset
• 起首きしゅstart
• 事の発端ことのほったんorigin of an affair
• 開かいopen
• 草創期そうそうきinitial stages
• しょっぱな(very) beginning
• そもそもbeginning
• 端はしbeginning
• でstart
• 小口こぐちbeginning
• 開幕かいまくopening (of an event)
• 始動しどうstarting (a project, plan, etc.)
• 幕開けまくあけbeginning (e.g. of an era)
• 序章じょしょうbeginning
• 振り出しふりだしstarting point
• 出足であしstart (of a race, campaign, business, etc.)
• 萌芽ほうがearly sign
• 明けあけbeginning (of a new year, month, etc.)
• 初手しょてbeginning
• 序じょbeginning
• ぶっつけbeginning
• 口開けくちあけbeginning
• 幕開きまくあきbeginning (e.g. of an era)
• とば口とばくちbeginning
• 出鼻でばなoutset
• 嚆矢こうしstart (e.g. of a movement)
• 出っ鼻でっぱなoutset
• 水端みずはなstart
• 一いちbeginning
• 上かみbeginning
• 頭あたまbeginning
• 卵たまごbeginning
• 入りいりbeginning (of the equinoctial week, midsummer, etc.)
• 天てんbeginning
• 走りはしりbeginning
• 白紙はくしscratch
• 触りさわりbeginning