This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

Readings

Kana: ショ、はじ.め、はじ.めて、はつ、はつ-、うい-、-そ.める、-ぞ.め
Romaji: sho, haji.me, haji.mete, hatsu, hatsu-, ui-, -so.meru, -zo.me
Kana
Romaji

Name Readings

Kana: し、はっ
Romaji: shi, ha
Kana
Romaji

Meanings

first time, beginning

Stroke Diagram

1234567

Kanji Info

Stroke Count:  7
Radical Number:  145
Frequency:  152
Grade:  4
Skip Pattern:  1-5-2
Korean Reading:  cho
Chinese Reading:  chu1
Unicode:  521d
JIS:  3D69

Indexes

Halpern Index: 1116
Nelson Index: 4215
New Nelson Index: 469
Spahn Hadamitzky Index: 5e2.1
Four Corner Index: 3722.0
Guide to Remembering Index: 507
Gakken Index: 261
Japanese Names Index: 427
Daikanwanjiten Index: 1911
Daikanwanjiten Index and Page: 2.0226
Remembering the kanji Index: 404
Busy People Index: 2.20
Kanji Way Index: 279
Kanji Flashcards Index: 353
Kodansha Compact Index: 181
Read Writing Kanji Third Index: 535
Kanji in Context Index: 440
1999 Kanji Learners Index: 759
2013 Kanji Learners Index: 1031
French Remembering the Kanji Index: 411
Remembering the Kanji 6th Index: 431
Essential Kanji Index: 636
Kodansha Kanji Index: 1433
Roo 2001 Kanji Index: 645
Read Writing the Kanji Index: 428
Tuttle Kanji Cards Index: 483

Words

(はつ、うい)
first; new
初め (ぞめ)
first doing of ... (ever, in one's life, in the new year, etc.)
最初 (さいしょ)
beginning; outset; first; onset
初期 (しょき)
early (days); initial stage; initial
初回 (しょかい)
first time; first innings; initial attempt; first; initial
(うぶ)
innocent; naive; unsophisticated; inexperienced; green; wet behind the ears; birth-
当初 (とうしょ)
at first
初めて (はじめて)
for the first time; only after ... is it ...; only when ... do you ...
初代 (しょだい)
first generation; founder
始め (はじめ)
beginning; start; outset; opening; first (in line, etc.); origin; such as ...; not to mention ...
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