元始 yuánshǐ beginning of all things Origin Definitions Defs Strokes Stroke Words Sentences Sents yuánshǐ beginning of all things 元 yuán noun first (bound form) first; primary; original; such as in 元旦 yuándàn始 shǐ nounadverb beginning (bound form) the beginning; the start; the originyuánshǐ Yuanshi era 元 yuán noun era (literary) era; the first year of a reign始 shǐ adjective initial (bound form) earliest; first; initialyuánshǐ primitive 元 yuán noun first (bound form) first; primary; original; such as in 元旦 yuándàn始 shǐ adjective initial (bound form) earliest; first; initial