hoi1 dyun1開端开端
Jyutpinghoi1 dyun1
Yalehōi dyūn
Definition
The beginning, start, or initial stage of an event or thing.
neutraltimedescriptions
How it's used
Refers specifically to the inception or the initial phase of a process, event, or situation. It carries a slightly more formal or literary weight compared to the everyday term 開頭. You will often encounter it in narratives, news reports, or when discussing the historical origins of a complex issue.
Examples
Do you know how this whole disturbance started?
Related words
Common phrases
the beginning of the story
the beginning of everything
Common mistake
Avoid using it to describe the physical start of a line or a sequence, where 開頭 or 開始 is much more natural. It is strictly a noun and cannot function as a verb like 開始.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
