at first /ət fɝːst/ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

= 起初；一开始；最初

这是一个非常高频的固定搭配，日常口语和书面语都很常见。

最常见的用法

At first, I didn't understand him.
一开始，我没听懂他。

At first, he was nervous.
起初，他很紧张。

I didn't like the movie at first.
我一开始不喜欢这部电影。

特别常见的结构是：

At first..., but later...
= 一开始……，但后来……

At first, he was quiet, but later he became very friendly.
一开始他很安静，但后来变得非常友好。

⚠️ 和 first 的区别

first = 首先、第一

First, let's talk about the problem.
首先，我们谈谈这个问题。

at first = 一开始（后来发生了变化）

At first, I was afraid, but I got used to it.
一开始我很害怕，但后来我习惯了。

所以你看到 at first，直接记成：

👉 “一开始 / 起初” 就可以。