hei2 sin1起先
Jyutpinghei2 sin1
Yalehéi sīn
Definition
At first; at the beginning; initially.
colloquialtimecommunication
How it's used
Focuses on the initial state of a situation that has since changed or been clarified. It is frequently paired with a contrastive clause introduced by 後來 or 原來 to highlight the shift in perspective or outcome.
Examples
At first I didn't know who he was, I only recognized him later.
Why didn't you tell me at the beginning?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this in formal writing as it is distinctly colloquial. Learners often confuse it with 一開始, but 起先 specifically implies that the initial impression or plan was incorrect or incomplete.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
