Kanji: 初

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JLPT Level:	JLPT N3 (lower intermediate level)
Kanken Level:	Kanken Level 7 (completion of 4th grade)
Grade:	Taught during the 4th grade in Japan
Radical:	刀(刂) Radical name: かたな（りっとう）
Meaning:	First time, beginning
Usage:	Appears very frequently in Japanese newspapers; only about 150 kanji are used more often.

JLPT Level	Word	Meaning
N5	初(はじ)め	beginning
N5	初(はじ)めて	for the first time
N4	最初(さいしょ)	beginning, first
N2	初級(しょきゅう)	elementary level
N2	初旬(しょじゅん)	first 10 days of the month
N1	初版(しょはん)	first edition
N1	初(はつ)	first, new
N1	初耳(はつみみ)	something heard for the first time