adv
Synonym of 初起 (chūqǐ, “at first; initially; in the beginning; originally; at the outset”). (syn.) 初起
verb
Synonym of 開始／开始 (kāishǐ, “to start; to begin”). (syn.) 开始, 開始
例如在抗戰初起時，許多人有一種毫無根據的樂觀傾向，他們把日本估計過低，甚至以為日本不能打到山西。
例如在抗战初起时，许多人有一种毫无根据的乐观倾向，他们把日本估计过低，甚至以为日本不能打到山西。
lì rú zài kàng zhàn chū qǐ shí ， xǔ duō rén yǒu yī zhǒng háo wú gēn jù de lè guān qīng xiàng ， tā men bǎ rì běn gū jì guò dī ， shèn zhì yǐ wéi rì běn bù néng dǎ dào shān xī ． For instance, at the outset of the war many people were groundlessly optimistic, underestimating Japan and even believing that the Japanese could not get as far as Shanxi.
Examples (Wiktionary)
Mandarin
例如在抗战初起时，许多人有一种毫无根据的乐观倾向，他们把日本估计过低，甚至以为日本不能打到山西。
例如在抗戰初起時，許多人有一種毫無根據的樂觀傾向，他們把日本估計過低，甚至以為日本不能打到山西。
lì rú zài kàng zhàn chū qǐ shí ， xǔ duō rén yǒu yī zhǒng háo wú gēn jù de lè guān qīng xiàng ， tā men bǎ rì běn gū jì guò dī ， shèn zhì yǐ wéi rì běn bù néng dǎ dào shān xī ．
For instance, at the outset of the war many people were groundlessly optimistic, underestimating Japan and even believing that the Japanese could not get as far as Shanxi.