Japanese symbol for “first”
初
はつ
Romaji: hatsu
first; new
In Japanese, first is 初, read はつ (hatsu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- adj-no, n, n-pref first; new
Written forms: 初. Readings: はつ、うい.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “first”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 一番 | いちばん ichiban | number one; first; first place |
| 最初 | さいしょ saisho | beginning; outset; first |
| 一 | いち ichi | first; foremost |
| 前者 | ぜんしゃ zensha | the former; the first |
| 始め | はじめ hajime | first (in line, etc.) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 最初 | さいしょ saisho | beginning; outset; first |
| 初期 | しょき shoki | early days; early years; early stages |
| 当初 | とうしょ tousho | beginning; start; outset |
| 初日 | しょにち shonichi | first day; opening day |
| 初めて | はじめて hajimete | for the first time |
| 初心者 | しょしんしゃ shoshinsha | beginner |
See also: Chinese symbol for “first”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.
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