How to Write 初 (chū) — Meaning “beginning / initial / first”

Imagine a tailor starting to make a new outfit: they use a knife (刀) to cut the fabric (衤). This first cut represents the beginning of the whole process, helping you link 初 to "start" or "first."

The left side 衤 must have two small strokes on the lower left (a dot and a short left-falling stroke), not just one. Also keep the right side 刀 narrow so the whole character stays balanced — common mistakes include making the knife too wide or forgetting the second dot.

初 (beginning) has the clothing radical 衤 on the left, while 㓞 (to carve) has the phonetic component 丰 on the left, and 刍 (hay) looks like a grass radical 艹 with a knife below. Visually, 初 is wider because of the two-part left side, and its meaning is always about starting something, unlike the others.

初 appears in words like 初级 (elementary level) and 初中 (junior high school), marking the first stage of something. Culturally, 初 is also used for the early days of a month, like 三月初 (early March), showing its role in time and sequence.

Common words containing 初 include: 初级 (chū jí) — elementary / beginner level; 初中 (chū zhōng) — junior high school; 当初 (dāng chū) — At that time; originally.