Translation guide
Describes an initial phase or stage of a time span, event, era, or process. Japanese uses different words depending on whether you mean the beginning part of a period, an early stage of development, or the early days of a historical era.
Referring to the early part of a day, season, year, or scheduled period.
Means 'beginning' or 'early part' of a period. Very common and natural for general use.
年の初めに目標を立てる。
I set goals in the early part of the year.
夏の初めはまだ涼しい。
The early part of summer is still cool.
Literally 'early period', often used for stages of a process, illness, or historical phase. Slightly more formal than 初め.
病気の初期症状に注意してください。
Please pay attention to the early symptoms of the illness.
プロジェクトの初期段階で問題が発生した。
Problems arose in the early stages of the project.
Means 'first half' of a period. Use when you can roughly divide the period into two halves.
今月の前半は忙しかった。
The early part of this month was busy.
Referring to the beginning phase of a person's life, career, or a historical era.
Common for 'early period' in historical or developmental contexts.
彼の初期の作品は評価が高い。
His early works are highly regarded.
明治時代の初期に多くの改革が行われた。
Many reforms were carried out in the early Meiji period.
Used for the first half of a defined era or century.
Means 'early stage' with a nuance of 'at an early point in time', often used in technical or medical contexts (e.g., early detection).
Describing the initial phase of a personal experience, such as a marriage, job, or living situation.
Pattern meaning 'in the early days of ~'. Very natural for personal experiences.
結婚の初めの頃は、いろいろ大変だった。
In the early period of our marriage, things were tough.
一人暮らしの初めの頃は寂しかった。
I felt lonely in the early days of living alone.
Also possible but slightly more formal; 初めの頃 is more conversational.
交際の初期にはお互いをよく知らなかった。
In the early period of our relationship, we didn't know each other well.
初め (はじめ) is the most general and conversational for 'early part'. 初期 (しょき) is more formal and often used for stages, historical periods, or technical contexts. 前半 (ぜんはん) specifically means 'first half' and is used when a period can be divided into two roughly equal parts.
While 早い時期 (はやいじき) literally means 'early period', it is not a natural translation for most uses of 'early period'. It is better to use the options above depending on context.
20世紀の前半は戦争の時代だった。
The early 20th century was an era of war.
Early detection of cancer is important.