〜てはじめて

te hajimete

only after; not until

Formation

Verb-te + はじめて

Chinese meanings

只有……才；直到……才

Chinese formation

动词て形＋はじめて

Chinese usage

表示经历某事后才认识到或才能做到某事。

Chinese notes

也写作て初めて，常接分かる、気づく等。

Examples

Furigana

病びょう気きになってはじめて、健けん康こうのありがたさが分わかった。
It was only after I got sick that I appreciated how precious good health is.
生病之后才明白健康的可贵。
一ひと人りで暮くらしてはじめて、親おやの苦く労ろうが分わかった。
Only after living alone did I understand how hard my parents had worked.
独自生活之后才明白父母的辛苦。
実じっ際さいに使つかってみてはじめて、この機き械かいの便べん利りさに気きづいた。
It wasn't until I actually tried it that I realized how handy this machine is.
实际使用之后才发现这台机器很方便。

Notes

Something is realized or becomes possible only after an experience; often followed by 分かる, 気づく or 知る. Also written 〜て初めて.

#time#sequence

Related N3 grammar

〜うちに〜ところに / 〜ところへ / 〜ところを〜たびに〜ごとに〜最中に〜たとたん / 〜たとたんに〜たら〜た〜から〜にかけて

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code

import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('te-hajimete');

{
  "id": "te-hajimete",
  "pattern": "〜てはじめて",
  "romaji": "te hajimete",
  "level": "N3",
  "meaning": "only after; not until",
  "formation": "Verb-te + はじめて",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "病気になってはじめて、健康のありがたさが分かった。",
      "furigana": "{病気|びょうき}になってはじめて、{健康|けんこう}のありがたさが{分|わ}かった。",
      "en": "It was only after I got sick that I appreciated how precious good health is."
    },
    {
      "ja": "一人で暮らしてはじめて、親の苦労が分かった。",
      "furigana": "{一人|ひとり}で{暮|く}らしてはじめて、{親|おや}の{苦労|くろう}が{分|わ}かった。",
      "en": "Only after living alone did I understand how hard my parents had worked."
    },
    {
      "ja": "実際に使ってみてはじめて、この機械の便利さに気づいた。",
      "furigana": "{実際|じっさい}に{使|つか}ってみてはじめて、この{機械|きかい}の{便利|べんり}さに{気|き}づいた。",
      "en": "It wasn't until I actually tried it that I realized how handy this machine is."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "time",
    "sequence"
  ],
  "notes": "Something is realized or becomes possible only after an experience; often followed by 分かる, 気づく or 知る. Also written 〜て初めて.",
  "zh": {
    "source_hash": "2d1f3c2eb3b954442073aad9fb4426ce322aea662887707086cb2eb15980a0ea",
    "meanings": [
      "只有……才",
      "直到……才"
    ],
    "formation": "动词て形＋はじめて",
    "explanation": "表示经历某事后才认识到或才能做到某事。",
    "notes": "也写作て初めて，常接分かる、気づく等。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "病気になってはじめて、健康のありがたさが分かった。",
        "zh": "生病之后才明白健康的可贵。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "一人で暮らしてはじめて、親の苦労が分かった。",
        "zh": "独自生活之后才明白父母的辛苦。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "実際に使ってみてはじめて、この機械の便利さに気づいた。",
        "zh": "实际使用之后才发现这台机器很方便。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n3.json#te-hajimete",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "status": "reviewed",
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "2dc16dce171e8912377ca2e29d7598edb96974d45f169731f76d0cd1acc29efb"
  }
}