起初 (qǐ chū) — at first, originally, at the outset | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Names the starting point of a story or plan: 'at first, originally'. Pair it with 后来 or 现在 to contrast then-and-now. 本来 also means 'originally' but focuses on the original state, not a time point.

noun

at firstoriginallyat the outset

Examples

起初，。
qǐ chū Tā bù xǐ huan zhè ge gōng zuò, hòu lái màn màn xǐ huan le.
At first he didn't like this job, but later he gradually came to like it.
起初，。
qǐ chū Wǒ yǐ wéi zhǐ yǒu shí gè rén, méi xiǎng dào lái le èr shí gè.
At first I thought there were only ten people; I didn't expect twenty to come.
起初。
Wǒ men qǐ chū de jì huà yǐ jīng quán bù gǎi biàn le.
Our original plan has already completely changed.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

初chūbeginning

起 (start) and 初 (beginning) both point to the first moment, meaning originally.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

走巳起

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

巳

巳sì起qǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

衤刀初

衤衣yīclothes
刀刀dāoknife; to cut

初 combines 衤 (clothes) and 刀 (knife), showing the start of making clothes by cutting cloth.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Time (Abstract)

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