처음
cheoeum · TOPIK 1
first time, beginning
🥇 처음 = 첫 (first) + 음 (noun ending): the first-ness, the beginning
처음 comes from 첫, the same root as 첫 (first) in 첫날 (first day) and 첫사랑 (first love), plus the noun-making ending 음. Sound hook: cheo-eum is close to chum, as in your first chum at a new school.