初

First

Stroke count: 7

Readings

On readingショ

Kun readingはじ.め、はじ.めて、うい

JLPT level: N3 Jōyō Grade 4Level 11

Verbs with «初»

Meanings

first
first timeRtK
beginning
彼は今月初めまで私たちのもとにいました。He stayed with us until the beginning of this month.tatoeba

Homonyms

ⓘ

Same reading (はつ)

Popular Usage

Radicals and components

Radical刀knife 刂variant

Components

How it's built

初

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

cloak · sword (刀) · dagger (刀)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 431

Compound words

初めてはじめて

for the first time; only after ... is it ...; only when ... do you ...; not until ... do you ...; first time

最初さいしょ

beginning; outset; first; onset

初級しょきゅう

elementary level; beginner level

初旬しょじゅん

first 10 days of the month

初雪はつゆき

first snow (of the season); first snowfall

初めましてはじめまして

nice to meet you; I'm glad to make your acquaintance; how do you do?

初演しょえん

first performance; premiere

初夏しょか

early summer; fourth month of the lunar calendar

初回しょかい

first time; first innings; initial attempt; first; initial

初期しょき

early days; early years; early stages; initial stages; beginning

初詣はつもうで

first shrine visit of the New Year

初出しょしゅつ

first appearance

初心しょしん

one's original intention; one's initial enthusiasm; inexperience; naivety; greenness

初代しょだい

first generation; founder

初頭しょとう

beginning (of a century, etc.)

初日しょにち

first day; opening day

初版しょはん

first edition

初歩しょほ

basics; rudiments; elements; ABCs of ...

初夢はつゆめ

first dream of the New year (believed to foretell one's luck); dream on the night of setsubun

初恋はつこい

first love; puppy love

初老しょろう

past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40

当初とうしょ

beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning

年初ねんしょ

beginning of the year

初陣ういじん

one's first campaign; one's first battle

On Reading Examples

展覧された絵のかなり多くが開会初日に売れた。しょにち

A good many of the pictures on exhibition were sold on the opening day.tatoeba

大学での初日はかなり退屈だった。しょにち

My first day in the university was rather boring.tatoeba

初日から番狂わせが多かった。しょにち

There were many upsets right from the first day.tatoeba

初心を貫徹したらどうですか。しょしん

Why don't you carry out what you've set out to do?tatoeba

Kun Reading Examples

彼は初めは新居に馴染めなかった。はじめ

At first he didn't take kindly to his new house.tatoeba

彼は一番初めに来た、だから良い席がとれた。はじめ

He came first. Therefore he got a good seat.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は冬に富士山に登った最初の人でした。

He was the first man to climb Mt. Fuji in winter.tatoeba

彼は電話で初めて彼女の愛らしい声を聞いてすっかり彼女に惚れ込んでしまった。

When he first heard her lovely voice over the phone, he fell head over heels for her.tatoeba

彼は大学を出たばかりで、その仕事に初めての者を集めた。

He gathered men fresh from college and new to the business.tatoeba

彼は村の近くで出会った最初の人にたずねました。

He asked the first person he met near the village.tatoeba

初級者の稽古では垂・胴のみを着け、面・小手は着装しない場合もある。

In the practice for beginners, sometimes only the Tare and the Do are worn and the Men and the Kote are not worn.wiki

4月初旬には遂に甲斐に撤退することを決意する。

In May, he eventually decided to withdraw to Kai Province.wiki

7月初旬に山名教清が伯耆国から美作国へ侵入した。

Early in August, Norikiyo YAMANA invaded to the Mimasaka Province from the Hoki Province.wiki

Stroke Order

7 strokes

First, beginning. 衤 (clothing) + 刀 (knife) — making clothes starts with cutting cloth.

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 初

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step