起初
Old HSK 6
起初 (qǐchū) · at first
起初 (qǐchū) means “at first; originally”. It is written with 2 characters: 起 (to get up) + 初 (first (as in 初一)). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).
How 起初 is built
The characters
起 qǐ · to get up
What 起 is made of
- 走zǒu — to walk
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 止zhǐ — to stop
- 上shàng — up
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
- 己jǐ — self
- 乚 — hook stroke
Origin hint: 走 gives the meaning, 己 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
初 chū · first (as in 初一)
What 初 is made of
- 衤yī — clothing
- 刀dāo — knife
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: Cutting 刀 the cloth 衤 is the first step in making clothes (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
起初我不喜欢他，后来成了好朋友。Qǐchū wǒ bù xǐhuan tā, hòulái chéng le hǎo péngyou.At first I didn't like him, but later we became good friends.
起初只有几个人参加。Qǐchū zhǐyǒu jǐ gè rén cānjiā.At first only a few people took part.
Questions about 起初
What does 起初 mean?
起初 (qǐchū) means “at first; originally”.
How do you pronounce 起初?
起初 is pronounced qǐchū.
Which HSK level is 起初?
起初 is in Old HSK 6.
Related words
- 对不起duìbuqǐsorry
- 起床qǐchuángto get out of bed
- 起来qǐlaito get up
- 一起yīqǐtogether
- 起飞qǐfēito take off (of a plane)
- 想起xiǎngqǐto remember
- 看起来kàn qǐlaito look like
- 看不起kànbuqǐto look down on
- 了不起liǎobuqǐamazing
- 引起yǐnqǐto cause
Learn 起初 with its group
It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 142: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.