冒ぼう頭とう

ぼ

う

と

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun

beginning; opening; outset

Refers to the very start of a speech, text, event, or period. Often used in formal or written contexts.

会かい議ぎの冒ぼう頭とうで、社しゃ長ちょうが挨あい拶さつを述のべた。
At the beginning of the meeting, the president gave a greeting.
論ろん文ぶんの冒ぼう頭とう部ぶ分ぶんを読よんで、内ない容ようを推すい測そくする。
I read the opening part of the paper and guess its content.

See all 67 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の冒ぼう頭とうでat the outset/beginning of ~
会かい議ぎの冒ぼう頭とうで議ぎ長ちょうが挨あい拶さつした。
The chairman gave a greeting at the start of the meeting.
冒ぼう頭とうに〈事こと〉を述のべるto state something at the outset
冒ぼう頭とうに本ほん日じつの議ぎ題だいを述のべます。
I will state today's agenda at the beginning.
冒ぼう頭とうからfrom the very beginning
その映えい画がは冒ぼう頭とうから観かん客きゃくの心こころをつかんだ。
The movie grabbed the audience's hearts right from the opening.
〈物もの〉の冒ぼう頭とうを飾かざるto open (a work) with something
この曲きょくがアルバムの冒ぼう頭とうを飾かざる。
This song opens the album.

Kanji

冒risk, face, defy
頭head, counter for large animals

Related words· 8

最さい初しょN4
最初 is the everyday word for 'first/beginning' used in any context, while 冒頭 specifically points to the opening portion of a speech, document, or formal event.
始はじめN5
始め is a plain, versatile word for 'start', whereas 冒頭 has a formal, written-language nuance referring to the opening part of a text or speech.
発ほっ端たんN1
発端 emphasizes the originating cause or trigger of an event, while 冒頭 simply marks the physical or structural opening section of something.
触さわり
冒頭 formally means the very opening of a text or speech, while 触り (in its colloquial sense) means just a brief taste of the beginning.

Show 4 more

巻かん頭とう
冒頭 is the general word for the beginning of a speech, text, or event, while 巻頭 specifically means the opening pages of a book or magazine.
出でだし
冒頭 is a formal term for the opening part of a speech, text, or statement, whereas 出だし is more colloquial and applies broadly to any kind of start.
序じょ盤ばん
序盤 describes an early phase of an ongoing process, while 冒頭 specifically means the opening part of a speech, text, or document.
当とう初しょN1
冒頭 refers specifically to the opening part of a speech, document, or text, while 当初 refers more broadly to the initial stage of any plan, period, or situation.

Opposites

末まつ尾び
末尾 refers to the very end of a document or speech, the direct opposite of 冒頭, which refers to its very beginning.
終おわりN5
終わり is the general word for 'the end' of anything, contrasting with 冒頭's meaning of 'the beginning' in formal speeches or texts.

Don't confuse with

冒ぼう険けんN3
冒険 (adventure) shares the kanji 冒 with 冒頭 but has an entirely unrelated meaning, so learners sometimes misread one for the other.

Word family

冒ぼう頭とう陳ちん述じゅつ
opening statement

Etymology

Compound of 冒 (begin, risk) and 頭 (head, top). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally conveys 'the head of the beginning'.