起初

qǐchū

adverb HSK 7-9 #6,649

Meanings

1 at first
2 originally
3 in the beginning

Characters

to start; beginning

beginning; initial

Examples

起初我不同意，后来改变了想法。

Qǐchū wǒ bùtóng yì, hòulái gǎibiàn le xiǎngfǎ.

At first I disagreed, but later I changed my mind.

起初他们只是朋友。

Qǐchū tāmen zhǐshì péngyou.

In the beginning, they were just friends.

Tips

usage

起初 usually implies a contrast with what happened later. It is often followed by 后来 (hòulái, 'later') or 最终 (zuìzhōng, 'eventually').

Stroke Order

起 qǐ

初 chū