起初

• Pinyin: qǐ chū
• Hanzi breakdown: 起 = 走 + 己 (start); 初 = 衤(clothing) + 刀 (knife) (initial — first cut of cloth)

Meaning

At first; initially; at the outset. Refers to the early stage or beginning of a process, event, or period.

Used as an adverbial or nominal phrase to mark a contrast between early and later states. Commonly paired with 后来/最终 to show development or change over time. Slightly more formal and literary than 最初.

Examples

1. 他起初对这份工作并不感兴趣，后来却渐渐爱上了这个充满挑战的行业。 At first he wasn’t interested in the job, but he gradually came to love this challenging field.
2. 起初，项目进展十分顺利，然而数月后便遭遇了严峻的资金危机。 In the beginning, the project moved along smoothly; however, a few months later it ran into a severe funding crisis.
3. 这两位科学家起初意见相左，经过深入探讨后终于凝聚了共识。 These two scientists initially disagreed, but after in-depth discussion they finally reached a consensus.

Usage Guide

Context: narrative, history, reflection

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 起初，没有人相信他的发明会有实际价值，但事实最终证明他们都错了。(At first, nobody believed his invention would have any practical value, but events ultimately proved them all wrong.)
• 这座城市起初只是一个小渔村，几十年间迅速发展为举足轻重的国际化都市。(This city was initially just a small fishing village, but rapidly developed into a prominent international metropolis over several decades.)

Don't Say

• 起初我起床后很困 — 起初 introduces a narrative contrast with a later development; it does not simply mean 'earlier today'; use 刚才/早上 for recent or same-day events

Origin & History

起 (start/beginning) + 初 (initial/early) — the early beginning

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal