first time; first round; first inning
Refers to the first occurrence, installment, or round of a series, event, or game. Often used in sports, broadcasts, and serialized content.
See also: 第一回
This campaign is valid only for the first time.
We introduced ourselves in the first class.
初回から点を取られた。
They scored in the first inning.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Used adjectivally with の to modify a noun, meaning 'first' or 'initial' in a sequence.
See also: 第一回
初回のミーティングで方針を決めた。
We decided the policy at the initial meeting.
彼は初回から全力を出した。
He gave it his all right from the first round.
This album comes with a first-edition-only bonus.
最初 is a general word for 'the first/beginning' of anything, while 初回 specifically refers to the first installment or round of a recurring series or event.
初回 refers to the first time or first episode in a general sense, while 初日 specifically means the first day of a multi-day event such as a sumo tournament or theater run.
初回 is a formal, countable noun for 'the first time/episode' used in schedules or media, whereas 初めて is a general adverb describing a personal first experience.
初戦 refers specifically to the first match in a competitive series, whereas 初回 is a broader term meaning 'the first time/episode/instance' used for many kinds of events, not just contests.
初回 refers to the first round or episode of a repeated event, whereas 初日 refers to the first day of an event or run, so they aren't interchangeable for multi-day shows.
Compound of 初 (sho, 'first') and 回 (kai, 'time/round'). The reading is on'yomi, and the word follows standard Sino-Japanese word formation.