Initializing arrays....

Am I allowed to do the following?

char ior[1000];
        :
        :
memset(ior[0],0,sizeof(ior));

........to initialize ior as a string array or is it more elegant to use the following from the Programmers Guide.............

for (i = 0; i < 3; price[i++] = 0).........matching the above........

for (i = 0; i < 1000; ior[i++] = 0)
     ;
 .....and by the way should the value being set be 0 or /0?

Thank You boys and girls......