Dictionary — Entry No. 0628
시작
sichak · noun
시작
sichak
[SHI-chak]
nounbeginner
Meaning
Means ‘beginning’ or ‘start’ — the moment or act of something commencing. As a noun it pairs with 하다 (hada) to form the essential verb 시작하다 (to begin/to start). It carries a sense of fresh energy and threshold, the feeling of standing at the edge of something new.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
시작 is the rallying cry of K-Pop comebacks and drama premieres. IVE’s debut with ‘ELEVEN’ announced their beginning to the world with instantly iconic confidence, and nearly every idol group’s debut press conference features the word in heartfelt speeches. In ‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo,’ the heroine’s repeated 시작하자! before each new challenge captures the word’s infectious optimism.
Example Sentences
시작이 반이야.
Shichagi baniya.
Starting is half the battle. — a beloved Korean proverb meaning the hardest step is the first one; the perfect thing to say to a hesitant friend
자, 시작하자!
Ja, shichakaja!
Okay, let’s start! — the energetic call-to-action before performances, practice sessions, or any group undertaking
우리 이야기의 시작은 여기였어.
Uri iyagiui shichageun yeogiyeosseo.
The beginning of our story was here. — a reflective line in drama epilogues when characters return to a place that holds their origin
⚠️ Don’t use sichak when…
Mistake 1: Using 시작 as a standalone conjugated verb — it needs 하다 to become a verb, so ‘나 시작어’ is incorrect; the right form is ‘나 시작했어’ (I started). Mistake 2: Treating 시작 and 처음 (cheom) as interchangeable — 시작 is the act or event of starting something, while 처음 is the experiential sense of something being a first; 시작 is action-oriented, 처음 is memory-oriented.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo — Bok-joo’s enthusiastic ‘시작하자!’ before each new training challenge and personal hurdle embodies the drama’s infectious belief that every difficulty is just another beginning.
- K-Pop: IVE — ELEVEN
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.