起初 qǐchū originally
originally; at first; at the outset
How to remember 起初: 起 rise up + 初 beginning = originally.
Characters
How it is used
- At first / originally / in the beginning - 起初我不同意 (qǐchū wǒ bù tóngyì) at first I disagreed.
- Time adverb marking the initial stage, usually setting up a later change: 起初…后来… (qǐchū… hòulái…) at first… later on…
- Contrast 起点 (qǐdiǎn, a starting point in space/measure); 起初 is about the early time period.
Example sentences
- 起初我不相信他。 Qǐchū wǒ bù xiāngxìn tā.I didn't believe him at first.
- 起初他以为英语很难，如今他觉得很简单。 Qǐchū tā yǐwéi yīngyǔ hěnnán, rújīn tā juéde hěn jiǎndān.At first, he thought English very difficult, but now he thinks it is easy.