co1 co1初初

Jyutpingco1 co1

Yalechō chō

副詞Common

Definition

At the beginning; at first; initially.

colloquialtime

How it's used

This word is a reduplication that emphasizes the initial stage of an event or a process. It is almost exclusively used in spoken contexts to describe a contrast between how things were at the start and how they changed later. It often appears alongside particles like 嗰陣 or 嗰陣時 to set the temporal frame.

Examples

co1初co1初ngo5我m4唔sik1識keoi5佢，hau6後loi4來sin1先suk6熟zo2咗。

I didn't know him at first, but we got close later.

nei5你co1初co1初hai6係mai6咪gok3覺dak1得le1呢fan2份gung1工hou2好naan4難zou6做？

Did you feel this job was very hard to do at the beginning?

Related words

synonymhei2 co1起初héi chō

Common phrases

co1初co1初go2嗰zan6陣

back at the beginning

co1初co1初sik1識

first met

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the formal term 起初, which is more common in written Chinese. Using 初初 in formal writing or professional reports will sound overly casual or childish.