The word "初出茅庐" is formed from four characters: "初" meaning first or initial, "出" meaning to exit or leave, and "茅庐" meaning a thatched cottage or humble dwelling; it originates from the story of Zhuge Liang in the Three Kingdoms period, where he left his seclusion for the first time, thus the characters combine literally to depict "first leaving the thatched cottage" to convey the idea of a novice beginning their career.