Definition
初 (chū) is a bound morpheme (prefix, noun, adverb) meaning 'first, initial, early' — it appears in compounds like 初次 (first time), 初级 (elementary), 年初 (beginning of the year). Unlike standalone words like 先 (adverb 'first in sequence'), 首先 (adverb 'first of all'), 最初 (noun 'the beginning'), or 首次 (quantifier 'first time'), 初 is not used independently as a time word; it attaches to nouns or verbs to indicate the early stage or first occurrence.
noun
(prefix) firstinitialelementary (as in 初次, 初级, 初春)beginningstart (as in 年初, 月初)
adverb
for the first timeat first (as in 初见, 初学)
Easily confused
- 留liúlook-aliketo stay; to remain (in a place)
- 出chūsound-aliketo go out, to come out
- 处chǔsound-aliketo reside; to be situated at (a place or situation)
- 处chùsound-alike(noun) place, location, spot
- 除chúsound-alike(verb) to remove; to eliminate
- 锄chúsound-alike(noun) hoe
Examples
- 。Nián chū wǒmen zhìdìng le yí gè jìhuà.At the beginning of the year we made a plan.
- 。Wǒ chū cì jiàn tā shí yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.I was a little nervous when I met him for the first time.
- 初。chū qiū de tiānqì hěn shūfu.The weather in early autumn is very comfortable.
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