resuming work after New Year's
Specifically refers to the first day back at work after the New Year holiday. Often used in the compound 仕事始め, but 仕初め alone can carry this meaning in context.
See also: 仕事始め
Today is the first day back at work after New Year's, so I'm going to the office.
Everyone gets nervous at the beginning.
On the day we resume work after New Year's, everyone exchanges New Year greetings.
仕事始め is the standard term for 'resuming work after New Year's'. 仕初め can be used with the same meaning but is less explicit and may require context.
Standard kanji spelling for this word.
Abbreviated spelling; less common but still used.
Alternate kanji spelling; rarely used.
Rare abbreviated alternate spelling.
Compound of 仕 (し, continuative form of する 'to do') and 初め (ぞめ, rendaku form of はじめ 'beginning'). Literally 'doing-beginning'.