Kanji

初

first time, beginning

Kanji

Grade

Grade 4

Strokes

7 strokes

Radical

刀部

On'yomi (Chinese Reading)

ショ

Kun'yomi (Japanese Reading)

はじめ, はじめて, はつ, はつ-, うい-, -そめる, -ぞめ

Nanori (Name Reading)

うい, はじめ, はつ, もと

Common Readings

ショ, うい, そ…める, はじ…め, はじ…めて, はつ

Example sentences

最初 さいしょ
最初が肝心です

The beginning is crucial.

肝心 かんじん
何事も最初が肝心だ。

In everything, the beginning is essential.

初めて はじめて
日本に来たのは、今回が初めてです。

This is the first time I've come to Japan.

こんな こんな
こんな美味しいラーメンは初めてだ

This is the first time I've had such delicious ramen.

はつ
彼が日本初の宇宙飛行士になった

He became Japan's first astronaut.

当初 とうしょ
当初の計画では、一週間滞在する予定だった。

According to the original plan, I was scheduled to stay for a week.

初対面 しょたいめん
初対面だったので、彼は緊張していた。

He was nervous because it was their first meeting.

握手 あくしゅ
彼らは初対面の挨拶として握手を交わした。

They exchanged a handshake as a first-time greeting.

初日 しょにち
公演の初日は、満員御礼だった。

On the opening day of the performance, it was a full house.

気張る きばる
初日のデートだから、あまり気張る必要はないよ。

Since it's your first date, there's no need to try too hard to impress.

Example Vocabulary

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.