発 (fā) - To start & to set out

発Tone 1

fā ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

恩丰

発 · fā

To start;

to set out;

to depart;

to emit;

to send out;

to express;

to develop;

to happen;

to occur.

To startto set outto depart

Usage highlights

DepartureDiscoveryDevelopmentAnnouncementOccurrenceInvention

Synonyms

  • 始— begin, start
  • 出— go out, exit

Antonyms

  • 着— arrive, reach
  • 終— end, finish

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The train departs from the station (発車).
  • He developed a new product (新製品を発売した).
  • The company issued a statement (声明を発表した).
  • The event will happen next week (来週イベントが発生する).

Collocations

  • Departure(発車)
  • Discovery(発見)
  • Development(発展)
  • Announcement(発表)
  • Occurrence(発生)
  • Invention(発明)

Idioms

  • Rising sun(旭日東昇 - though not containing 発, conceptually related to emergence)
  • To make a name for oneself(名を揚げる - related to achieving success)
  • To set out on a journey(旅立つ - related to departure)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used in Japanese as the simplified form of 發, common in modern Japanese writing.
  • Frequently appears in transportation contexts (発車 - departure) and business contexts (発売 - sale release).
  • Carries positive connotations of progress, initiative, and new beginnings.

FAQ