Kiokun Logo
初
🇹🇼🇭🇰🇨🇳🇯🇵🇰🇷

elementary

HSK 3 N2
Abstract →Time
chū
ショ
はじ.め、はじ.めて、はつ、はつ-、うい-、-そ.める、-ぞ.め
초
Depicts cutting out fabric (衤) with a knife (刀), the first step in making clothes.
Components
衤 clothing (side)+ 刀 sword =
初 elementary
衤 Iconic component
yī clothing (side)
clothes
衤 is a component form of 衣.
刀 Iconic component
dāo sword
knife
Notes
Similar Characters
裨 benefit补 mend (simp)衩 the open seam衫 shirt衬 underlayer (simp)衲 sew衹 only衽 coat衿 collar or lapel袂 cuff袄 outer (simp)袍 robe袒 lay袖 sleeve袜 stockings (simp)袟 book cover袢 robe被 quilt袯 raincoat (simp)袱 wrapping cloth
Historical Evolution
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze
Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze
Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
初
Regular
Modern
Chinese
初 [chū]
at first; (at the) beginning; first; junior; basic
Japanese
初め 、 初 ぞめ 同音
suffix first doing of ... (ever, in one's life, in the new year, etc.) (after the -masu stem of a verb)
初 はつ 、 うい 同音
adj-nonounn-prefn-suf first; new
初 (rare) 、 初心 (rare) 、 産 (rare) 、 生 (rare) ウブ 、 うぶ 同音

adj-na

  1. usually kana inexperienced (in life experience); unsophisticated; green; wet behind the ears
  2. usually kana inexperienced (in love); innocent; naive; simple
Example Sentences
🇯🇵 (2)
彼らはエベレストに初登頂した。
They made first ascent of Mount Everest.
そのうぶな男は彼女を前にしてすっかりどぎまぎしていた。
The naive man was utterly embarrassed in her presence.
Japanese Names
初 うい
Ui female given name
初 うぶ
Ubu female given name
初 しよ
Shiyo surname
初 はじめ
Hajime given name
初 はっ
Ha place name
初 はつ
Hatsu female given name
初 はつざき
Hatsuzaki surname
初 はつみ
Hatsumi female given name
CHINESE WORDS (136)
当初 [dāng​chū] #2,902
at that time
当初 [dāng​chū] #2,902
at that time
最初 [zuì​chū] #4,136
first
初步 [chū​bù] #7,158
initial
初中 [chū​zhōng] #10,626
junior high school
起初 [qǐ​chū] #6,649
originally
初恋 [chū​liàn] #7,534
first love
初恋 [chū​liàn] #7,534
first love
初期 [chū​qī] #12,953
initial stage
年初 [nián​chū] #32,481
beginning of the year
126 more items
JAPANESE WORDS (200)
⭐ 最初 [さいしょ] #258
beginning
⭐ 初めて [はじめて] #262
for the first time
⭐ 始まり [はじまり] #2,814
origin
⭐ 当初 [とうしょ] #2,858
beginning
⭐ 初対面 [しょたいめん] #4,632
first meeting
⭐ 初日 [しょにち] #4,778
first day
初めから [はじめから] #5,558
from the beginning
⭐ 初めまして [はじめまして] #5,754
nice to meet you
⭐ 始め [はじめ] #5,900
beginning
生まれて初めて [うまれてはじめて] #6,686
for the first time in one's life
190 more items
KOREAN WORDS (36)
초기 #8,173
beginning; start
초대 #8,412
first
최초 #29,785
being the first; being original
당초
beginning; start
애初
the beginning; the start; the outset
연초
beginning of the year
원초
origin; source; first
원초적
being primitive; being original
월초
beginning of the month
정초
the start of the year
26 more items