Penny: Hang on. I think the emergency key is around here somewhere.
等下，我记得备用钥匙就在这附近。

Sheldon: We have a bowl. Our keys go in a bowl. You should get a bowl.
我们家有个碗，所有钥匙都放在那个碗里面。你也该弄个碗。

Penny: So, how did the beautiful mind of Sheldon Cooper forget his key in the first place?
那么请问美丽心灵的Sheldon Cooper怎么会忘带钥匙呢？

Sheldon: I left them in the bowl.
落在那只碗里了。

——《生活大爆炸》

in the first place 起初，最初；首先

Why did you choose basketball in the first place?
你为何最初选择篮球呢?

I don't want to go there in the first place.
我原本不想去的。

另一个与之相似的短语at the first place则有不同的含义：首先；放在第一位。
举例如下：

1. We put product quality at the first place.
我们把产品质量视作企业的生命。

2. We always put the quality at the first place.
我们总是把质量放在第一位。

3. We always put reputation and quality at the first place.
信誉第一，质量至上"是我公司的宗旨。