初级 (chū jí) is an adjective meaning 'beginner' or 'elementary', describing the earliest or most basic level of a skill, course, or stage of learning. The character 初 means 'first' or 'initial', evoking the idea of something at its beginning; 级 means 'level' or 'grade', often used in educational or hierarchical contexts. Together, they form a compound that emphasizes foundational status—neither temporary nor vague, but formally recognized as Level 1 in structured progression.

This term appears frequently in education, language learning, vocational training, and software interfaces (e.g., 初级班 'beginner class', 初级证书 'entry-level certificate'). It carries a neutral, objective tone—unlike colloquial terms like 新手 (xīnshǒu, 'newcomer'), 初级 implies institutional or curricular framing. It’s commonly paired with nouns like 课程 (course), 水平 (level), or 考试 (exam), and rarely stands alone as a noun.