The Kanji: 開 (Kai / Hira)
The kanji 開 (read as kai or hira) carries the core meaning of "to open," "to begin," or "to hold (an event)." It is a pictographic character composed of two doors (門) being pushed apart, with the component 幵 suggesting the action of prying them open. This character represents the act of making something accessible, available, or active.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 開く (hiraku)
Meaning: To open (e.g., a door, a business).
Example Sentence: ドアを開けてください。
(Doa o akete kudasai.)
"Please open the door."
2. 開始 (kaishi)
Meaning: Start; commencement; initiation.
Example Sentence: 会議の開始時間は午後3時です。
(Kaigi no kaishi jikan wa gogo san-ji desu.)
"The meeting start time is 3 PM."
3. 開発 (kaihatsu)
Meaning: Development; exploitation (e.g., of land or technology).
Example Sentence: 新しいソフトウェアを開発した。
(Atarashii sofutowea o kaihatsu shita.)
"We developed new software."
4. 開放 (kaihō)
Meaning: Opening to the public; making accessible; liberalization.
Example Sentence: 公園は夜間も開放されている。
(Kōen wa yakan mo kaihō sarete iru.)
"The park is open to the public even at night."
In summary, 開 is a dynamic kanji representing initiation and accessibility. It applies to physical acts like opening a door (開く), conceptual beginnings (開始), innovative processes (開発), and making resources available (開放).