first; firstly; to begin with
Used as a sentence adverb to introduce the first point or step in a sequence. Common in both spoken and written Japanese.
First, allow me to introduce myself.
料理を作るには、初めに材料をそろえましょう。
To cook, first let's gather the ingredients.
Used as a section heading in books, documents, or presentations. Typically written in kana (はじめに) in this context.
この本の「はじめに」を読むと、著者の意図がよくわかる。
Reading the Introduction of this book makes the author's intention clear.