zuì chū
那里最初还是不毛之地
nà lǐ zuì chū hái shì bù máo zhī dì
That place was initially a barren land.
我最初认识他是在上中学的时候。
wǒ zuì chū rèn shi tā shì zài shàng zhōng xué de shí hou.
I first met him when I was in middle school.