起初

qǐ chū

HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 6 Noun Uncommon

Definitions

1. originally
2. at first
3. at the outset

Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 后来 hòu lái 后来 hòu lái meaning 'afterwards', 'later': meaning 'afterwards', 'later'

Synonyms

1 item

• 最初 zuì chū 最初 zuì chū first meaning 'initially', 'at the very beginning': first

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used at the beginning of a sentence or clause to indicate the initial state, contrasting with a later development.

Common mistakes

Avoid using 起初 when referring to a person's initial state; use 本来 (e.g., 本来我就不同意) for inherent qualities or previous plans.

Example Sentences

4 shown

起初 ，他不太习惯。

At first, he wasn't quite used to it.

起初 ，他不會說英語。

Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 811697)

起初 我沒認出他來。

Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 848424)

起初 她不喜歡馬。

Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 894364)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org. AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 起初

• 起 起 qǐ: (for groups or occurrences) instance, time
• 初 初 chū: at first