How to say "Start" in Japanese

When translating "start" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 言い出す and 口火を切る. In Japanese, 言い出す (いいだす (iidasu)) is typically associated with "to start talking, to bring up (a topic), to suggest" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Often implies initiating a conversation or being the first to speak about something, sometimes after hesitation or difficulty. 誰かが最初に話すこと、または躊躇した後に何かを話すことを意味します。. On the other hand, 口火を切る (くちびをきる (kuchibi o kiru)) maps to "to start (a discussion, dispute, etc.), to lead off, to fire the first shot" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents An idiomatic expression meaning to initiate something, especially a discussion, debate, conflict, or a series of events. きっかけを作る、最初に始めることを意味する。比喩的に用いられることが多い。. A literal translation of "start" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!