Meaning

Primary

First In History

Alternative

Historic First

Word Type

noun, の adjective

Explanation

In history, there are people who rise above others to be the first to do something. That makes them the first in history.

史上初 is used for any historic first. First human on the moon, first photograph ever taken, first movie to gross a billion dollars — that kind of thing.

Reading

しじょうはつ
  • Miyuki
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

This jukugo word uses familiar on'yomi readings for 史上 (しじょう), but a kun'yomi reading for 初 (はつ). Here's a mnemonic to remember the 初 part:

Who was the first in history to start wearing hats (はつ)? From now on this question will torment you, because it's basically unanswerable. Nobody knows who the first in history to wear hats was. But you gotta imagine it was some kind of Neanderthal, right?

Context

Pattern of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 史上初のケース

    first case in history

    史上初のイベント

    first event in history

    史上初のこと

    a first in history

    史上初の〜円台

    first time in history to reach the ~ yen range

Context Sentences

その映画は史上初の大ヒットになった。

That movie became the first big hit in history.

日本がカナダにホッケーで勝ったのは、史上初のことです。

Japan beating Canada in hockey was a historic first.

ワニカニのボキャブラリーだけで会話するイベントは、アメリカ史上初じゃない?

Wouldn't an event where people only speak using WaniKani vocabulary be a first in American history?

Kanji Composition