Meaning of 初步
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- initial
- preliminary
- tentative
How to use 初步
初步 describes results, plans, or understanding that are early and not yet final. It often comes before nouns like 计划 (plan), 结果 (result), or 了解 (understanding), and it can also work like an adverb before a verb. Example: 我们有了一个初步的计划。(Wǒmen yǒule yí gè chūbù de jìhuà.) We have a preliminary plan.
初 (chū) means beginning and 步 (bù) means step, so 初步 is literally the first step. Picture taking your first step on a long road: you have started, but you are far from done.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 初 with the 礻 radical, but its left side is 衤 (clothing) with two dots at the bottom. Also, do not confuse 初步 (an early stage) with 进步 (jìnbù, progress): 初步 says how far along something is, not that it has improved.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
初 chū · at first · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
步 bù · a step · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 初步.
| 当初 | dāngchū | at that time; originally |
| 散步 | sànbù | to take a walk; to go for a walk |
| 进步 | jìnbù | progress; improvement; to improve; to progress |
| 进一步 | jìnyībù | to go a step further; (develop, understand, improve etc) more; further |
| 跑步 | pǎobù | to run; to jog |
| 初中 | chūzhōng | junior high school (abbr. for 初級中學|初级中学[chu1 ji2 zhong1 xue2]) |
| 初级 | chūjí | junior; primary |
| 年初 | niánchū | beginning of the year |
| 初一 | chūyī | first year in junior middle school; first day of a lunar month |
| 最初 | zuìchū | first; primary |
| 步行 | bùxíng | to go on foot; to walk |
| 逐步 | zhúbù | progressively; step by step |
Questions about 初步
What does 初步 mean?
初步 (chūbù) means "initial; preliminary" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 初步?
初步 is made of 2 characters: 初 (7 strokes), 步 (7 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 初步 an HSK word?
Yes. 初步 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 初步 be used directly before a verb?
Yes. It often works adverbially, as in 初步了解 (get a basic understanding) or 初步完成 (preliminarily complete). In these cases no 地 is needed.
What is the difference between 初步 and 开始?
开始 (kāishǐ) is a verb meaning to start an action. 初步 describes something as being at an early, not-yet-final stage, so you say 初步的结果 (preliminary results), not 开始的结果 in that sense.