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初 means 'first'

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Strokes : 7    Frequency: 206   JLPT: N3    Usefulness: 3    Study set: 3-4    Grade: 4   Intermediate lesson: 18    Beginner lesson: -   Begins 237 words   Used in 274 words   Used in 485 names   Not used as a component
Jōyō (常用)
Common readings
On
   ショ
Kun
   はつ   うい-   はじめ beginning   -ぞめ first doing of
Additional readings
Kun    はじめて   -そめる
Name    し   はっ
Components
⿰  衤 (衣) clothes  刀 sword  
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See also
始 begin  
Mastery
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Flashcards
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Most useful words by reading
In the most useful 10,000 words in Japanese, 初 is used 22 times, read 4 ways.
Across all words in Japanese, 初 is used 262 times, read 6 ways (with 1 variation).
Showing:
ショ : 133 words FIND ALL
さ い し ょ 0
'no' adjective, adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi), noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi)
beginning; outset; first; onset
(click the word for examples and links)
はつ : 84 words FIND ALL
は つ 2
'no' adjective, noun (prefix), noun
first; new
(click the word to view an additional 1 reading, examples and links)
はじめ : 16 words FIND ALL
つ き は じ め 3
adverb, noun
beginning of month
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
-ぞめ (read as ぞ) : 11 words FIND ALL
か き ぞ め 0
Most common form: 書初
noun
first calligraphy of the year
(click the word to view an additional 3 forms, examples and links)
-そめる (read as そ) : 9 words FIND ALL
そ め る 2
auxiliary verb, ichidan verb
to begin to
(click the word for examples and links)
うい- (read as うい) : 8 words FIND ALL
う い じ ん 0
noun
first campaign; one's first battle
(click the word for examples and links)
し: 1 word. FIND ALL
noun
primitive element (of a finite field)  (see also: 有限体; mathematics)
(click the word for examples and links)
An additional はじ.め less common words include 初 but the reading has not yet been categorized.
Quick links
QUICK SEARCH WORD SEARCH KANJI SEARCH COMPONENT SEARCH Find kanji that refer to 初
More information
Wiktionary ⇗ | Unicode.org ⇗ | Google Japan ⇗ | Hanziyuan etymology ⇗
Additional data
Henshall: 535 (originally: 507)  Joy o' Kanji : 507  Key to Kanji: 512 

Cascading kanji view

初
ショ   はつ    うい-    はじめ beginning   -ぞめ first doing of   
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衤
イ   ころも    きぬ clothes   
刀
トウ   かたな sword   
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