Definition
当初 (dāng chū) means 'originally, at that time' and emphasizes a past point that contrasts with the present (e.g., 'back then I thought...'). It differs from 当时 (dāng shí), which is a neutral time reference ('at that time'), and from 最初/起初 (zuì chū/qǐ chū), which focus on the very beginning or initial stage.
noun
originallyat that timein the beginning
Examples
- 当初。Wǒ dāng chū méi xiǎng dào huì zhème chénggōng.I didn't expect it to be so successful at first.
- 当初。dāng chū de juédìng xiànzài kàn shì duì de.The decision made at that time now seems right.
- 当初。Tā dāng chū zhǐshì yí gè pǔtōng gōngrén.He was just an ordinary worker originally.
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