like: đầu năm → →
at the beginning of this year ☊ 
hồi đầu năm nay ☊ in the first nine months of 1995 ☊ trong 9 tháng đầu năm 1995 ☊ since the beginning of the year ☊ từ đầu năm đến nay ☊ at the beginning of this year ☊ vào đầu năm nay ☊ The new product will arrive on supermarket shelves (= be available) early next year. ☊ arrive ☊
New Year's Day ☊ day ☊
The roses are in flower early this year. ☊ flower ☊
I've got three days' holiday including New Year's Day. ☊ including ☊
plan sth for sth: A meeting has been planned for early next year. ☊ plan ☊
Shooting began early this year. ☊ shooting ☊
She plans to show her paintings early next year. ☊ show ☊
Things didn't look too hopeful at the start of the year. ☊ start ☊
I lost my job earlier this year. ☊ year ☊