What is the Kanji for "Beginning" and "First"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Beginning" and "First", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Beginning" and "First" is "初".

This kanji has 4 readings:

Its kunyomi readings are "Haji", "So", and "Hatsu".

Its onyomi reading is "Sho".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The component "衤" . And The kanji "刀" means "Sword" and can be read as "Chi", "Tou", and "Katana".

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "初" mean in japanese?

"初" means "Beginning" and "First".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fourth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

最初: "First". The noun '最初 (さいしょ)' means 'first'. It refers to the beginning, the initial point or stage of something. It can be used to indicate the starting point of a process, event or timeline. For example: This is the first time I've been here - (これが私がここへ来る最初の時です). I arrived at the first station - (私は最初の駅に到着しました).

初めて: "First". The adverb '初めて (はじめて)' means 'first'. It is used to indicate that something is happening or occurring for the very first time. This adverb can be used to describe a variety of situations, such as the first time you visit a new place, the first time you try a new activity, or the first time you meet someone. For example: It's my first time going to Tokyo - (東京に初めて行きます). This is the first time I've eaten sushi - (これは初めて寿司を食べます).

初め: "Beginning". The noun '初め (はじめ)' means 'beginning'. It refers to the start or commencement of something. It can be used to describe the start of a time period, process, or event. For example: In the beginning... - (初めに...) or It's the beginning of a new year - (新しい年が始まった).

初期: "Initial". The Japanese noun '初期 (しょき)' means 'initial'. This word refers to the first or earliest stage of a process, development, or period of time. It is commonly used to describe the starting point or foundation of something. For example: In the initial stage of the project - (初期の段階で). The initial cost is high - (初期費用が高い).

当初: "Beginning". The Japanese noun '当初 (とうしょ)' means 'beginning'. It refers to the initial stage or starting point of something. This word is often used to describe the early stages or original conditions of a situation, plan, or process. For example: At the beginning, we had a simple plan - (当初、私たちは単純な計画を持っていた). The company started with a small budget - (当初、その会社は小さな予算から始まった).

初: "First". The noun '初 (はつ)' means 'first'. It is used to indicate that something is the earliest or the very beginning of a series of events or occurrences. For example: This is my first time visiting Tokyo - (これは私の東京への初訪問です). January is the first month of the year - (1月は年の初めの月です).

初日: "First day". The noun '初日 (しょにち)' refers to the first day of an event, such as the first day of a new school year, the first day of a festival, or the first day of a new job. It can also be used to refer to the premiere or opening day of a movie, play, or other performance. For example: Today is the first day of my new job - (今日は私の新しい仕事の初日です). The first day of the festival starts tomorrow - (祭りの初日は明日から始まります).

初歩: "Basics". The noun '初歩 (しょほ)' refers to the most fundamental or elementary level of something. It is used to describe the basic knowledge, skills or principles that form the foundation of a subject or field of study. For example: He is still learning the basics of computer programming - (彼はまだコンピュータープログラミングの初歩を学習しています). The basics of grammar - (文法の初歩).

初夏: "Early summer". The Japanese noun '初夏 (しょか)' refers to the early part of summer, usually the month of June. It describes the transitional period between spring and the height of summer, when temperatures start rising and nature is in full bloom. For example: The early summer is a beautiful time of year - (初夏は素晴らしい季節です). We went on a picnic in the early summer - (私たちは初夏にピクニックに行きました).

初心: "Beginner". The noun '初心 (しょしん)' means 'beginner'. This word refers to a person who is new to a particular activity or field, someone who is just starting out and lacks experience. It conveys a sense of being a novice or a beginner with a sincere and earnest attitude. For example: He is still a beginner at cooking - (彼は料理の初心者です). As a beginner, I am eager to learn - (初心者として、私は熱心に学びたいと思います).

初級: "Beginner". The Japanese noun '初級 (しょきゅう)' means 'beginner'. This word is used to describe someone who is new to a particular subject or activity and is just starting to learn or practice it. For example: I'm taking a beginner's Japanese class - (私は初級の日本語クラスを取っています). Beginner's guide - (初級者向けガイド)

月初め: "Beginning". The noun '月初め (つきはじめ)' refers to the beginning of a month. This term is used to describe the first few days of a month. For example: At the beginning of the month, I get paid - (月初めに給料をもらう). The start of the month is a busy time - (月初めは忙しい時期だ).

初代: "First generation". The noun '初代 (しょだい)' refers to the 'first generation' of something, such as the first leader, founder, or model of a company, organization, or product. It signifies the original or inaugural version. For example: The first president of the company - (会社の初代社長). The first smartphone model - (初代のスマートフォン).

初恋: "First love". The Japanese noun '初恋 (はつこい)' means 'first love'. This refers to a person's very first experience of falling in love. It is often characterized by intense emotions and idealization of the loved one. '初恋' is a bittersweet concept in Japanese culture, often associated with nostalgia and cherished memories. For example: I still remember my first love - (私の初恋は今でも覚えている). She was my first love - (彼女は私の初恋だった).

初詣で: "First shrine visit". 初詣で (はつもうで)' is a Japanese verbal noun that refers to the first visit to a Shinto shrine or temple at the beginning of the new year. This tradition is a common part of Japanese New Year celebrations, where people visit shrines or temples to pray for good fortune and make resolutions for the new year. For example: It's time for my first shrine visit of the year - (今年の初詣です). I went to a shrine for my first shrine visit of the new year - (新年の初詣に行きました).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "し" is read as "shi". The hiragana "は" is read as "ha". The hiragana "じ" is read as "ji". The hiragana "そ" is read as "so". And The hiragana "つ" is read as "tsu".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.