最初
さいしょ · saisho · JLPT N4 · na-adj
beginning
🥇 最初 = most (最) + first/beginning (初): the very first
最 (sai) means most, as in 最高 (saikou, the most high = best). 初 (sho) means first or beginning, as in 初めて (hajimete, for the first time). Together: the most-first point, the very beginning. Its opposite is 最後 (saigo), most + after = last.
最 — top 冃 (hat/cover) + bottom 取 (take)
Originally a compound suggesting taking something even at risk, with 冃 (a covering, often confused with 日 sun) over 取 (to seize). Over time it shifted from 'to risk taking' to the superlative meaning 'most' or 'extremely', its modern use in Chinese.
初 — clothes radical 衤 + knife 刀
初 combines 衤 (clothes) and 刀 (knife), depicting the act of cutting cloth to begin making a garment. From this concrete image of starting a tailoring task came the extended meaning 'beginning' or 'first'. It is an associative compound, not phonetic.