What does 初めて mean?
初めて is a Japanese noun meaning “for the first time” in English. It can also be translated as “only after ... is it ...” depending on context. It is written as 初めて in kanji, はじめて in hiragana, and hajimete in romaji. This word is part of JLPT N5 vocabulary.
Example sentences
１６歳の時、初めてテニスをした。
When I was sixteen, I played tennis for the first time.
しかし、抗議を通して初めて自由で開かれた社会が維持されるのである。
Only through protest can a free and open society be maintained.