also: はじ · はな
I wrote a small note in the margin of the notebook.
noun
beginning; start; from the first
Only with reading はな
Mostly used in the adverbial expression 端から, read はなから, meaning 'from the outset' or 'right from the start.' It often implies that someone had already decided or assumed something.
彼は端からこちらの説明を聞く気がなかった。
He had no intention of listening to our explanation from the start.
noun
scrap; odd bit; fragment; least bit
Only with reading はし
Refers to a small leftover piece or fragment, often in compounds such as 切れ端. The 'least bit' nuance is an extension of this idea of a tiny part rather than a general word for 'minimum.'
紙の切れ端に電話番号を書いた。
I wrote the phone number on a scrap of paper.
会話の端を耳にしただけで、詳しくは知らない。
I only caught a fragment of the conversation, so I do not know the details.
Used especially in expressions such as 端から meaning 'from the start'; the kana spelling はなから is also common in practice, but no kana written form is specified.
Also means an edge or rim, especially the border around an object or opening; 端 is broader and can refer to an end, tip, margin, or fragment.
Means a corner or nook where sides meet; 端 can be any end or edge, not necessarily a corner.
The ordinary word for a beginning or start; 端 read はな is more limited, mainly in expressions like 端から.
A native Japanese word conventionally written with 端, a kanji associated with an end, edge, or extremity. The historical development of the readings はし, はじ, and はな is not detailed.