How to say "initial" in Japanese

• 声母せいぼ
  nounOnly the technical sense: the initial consonant that opens a syllable in Chinese, as discussed in phonetics or phonology. It never renders everyday senses of 'initial' such as 'first' or 'first letter'.
• 頭字かしらじ
  nounCovers 'initial' meaning a first letter: the opening letter of a word or the initial letters of a name. A less common word; think of it as 'first letter(s)' rather than a general 'initial'.
• 初度しょど
  prenominal modifierCovers the temporal sense 'first-time': an initial occurrence of an event or action. A less common word that really means 'first time'; it is seldom the word you want for general 'initial'.
• 初年度しょねんど
  nounCovers 'initial' only in the year sense: the first year of a plan, program, or undertaking. Use it where English says 'initial year'; it does not serve other senses of 'initial'.
  研究けんきゅうの初はつ年度ねんどに、彼かれは自分じぶんがＡＬＳにかかっていることを知しった。↗

  During the first year of his research, he learned he had ALS.
• 一次回いちじかい
  no-adjectiveCovers the 'first time' sense: the initial occurrence of something. A less common word, seldom the natural choice for general 'initial'; it really says 'first time', counting the first occasion.

Every candidate here is a less common word, so match the sense: 声母 for the consonant opening a Chinese syllable, 頭字 for a first letter, 初年度 for a first year, and 初度 or 一次回 for 'first time'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 声母せいぼinitial (part of Chinese syllable)
• 頭字かしらじfirst letter
• 初度しょどfirst-time
• 初年度しょねんどfirst year
• 一次回いちじかいfirst time
• 初回しょかいfirst
• イニシャルinitial
• 一つ目ひとつめfirst (in a series)
• 第一回だいいっかいfirst