先 meaning and stroke order
Beforehand; first; earlier; at first; originally; for the time being; for now
How to write 先, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 先
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- beforehand; first; earlier
- at first; originally
- for the time being; for now
- (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself)
How 先 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Someone stepping 止 in front of another person 儿.
Radical: 儿 (son), shared by 24 characters on this site.
How to remember 先
The top of 先 comes from a foot 止 stepping forward, and the bottom is a person 儿. Picture someone putting a foot out in front of another person to go first.
先 (xiān) often comes before a verb to mean "first" or "do this before something else," and it pairs naturally with 再 (zài) for "then." Example: 我先吃饭，再做作业。(Wǒ xiān chīfàn, zài zuò zuòyè.) I will eat first, then do my homework. It also appears in common words like 先生 (xiānsheng, Mr.) and 首先 (shǒuxiān, first of all).
Common mistake: Learners often put 先 after the verb, as in English "eat first." In Chinese it must go before the verb: 你先走 (nǐ xiān zǒu), not 你走先. Also do not confuse the shape with 洗 (xǐ, to wash), which adds the water radical 氵 on the left.
Common words with 先
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 先生 | xiānsheng | teacher; gentleman; sir; mister (Mr.) | HSK 1 |
| 首先 | shǒuxiān | first of all; in the first place | HSK 3 |
| 先进 | xiānjìn | sophisticated; advanced (technology etc); meritorious; exemplary (deeds etc) | HSK 3 |
| 领先 | lǐngxiān | to lead; to be in front | HSK 3 |
| 事先 | shìxiān | in advance; before the event | HSK 4 |
| 率先 | shuàixiān | to take the lead; to show initiative | HSK 4 |
| 优先 | yōuxiān | to have priority; to take precedence | HSK 5 |
| 先前 | xiānqián | before; previously | HSK 5 |
| 原先 | yuánxiān | originally; original | HSK 5 |
| 先后 | xiānhòu | early or late; first and last; priority; in succession; one after another | HSK 5 |
| 先锋 | xiānfēng | vanguard; pioneer; avant-garde | HSK 6 |
| 祖先 | zǔxiān | ancestors; forebears; (biology) ancestral species; ancient species from which present-day | HSK 7-9 |
| 预先 | yùxiān | beforehand; in advance | HSK 7-9 |
| 先例 | xiānlì | precedent | HSK 7-9 |
先 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 先
Learning 先 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 先
How many strokes are in 先?
先 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 先 mean?
先 (xiān) means beforehand; first; earlier; at first; originally; for the time being; for now. A common word with it is 先生 (xiānsheng), meaning "teacher; gentleman; sir; mister (Mr.)".
How do you pronounce 先?
先 is pronounced xiān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 先?
The radical of 先 is 儿, which carries the idea of "son". Dictionaries list 先 under this radical.
Is 先 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 先 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Why does 先生 mean Mr. if 先 means first?
先生 (xiānsheng) literally means "born earlier," a respectful way to address someone. Today it means Mr. or sir, and it can also mean husband. Note that 生 is usually read in the neutral tone here.
What is the difference between 先 and 以前?
先 (xiān) means doing something first in a sequence, usually placed before a verb. 以前 (yǐqián) means "before" or "in the past" and refers to a time, as in 三年以前 (sān nián yǐqián, three years ago). You say 我先走 (I'll leave first), not 我以前走 for that meaning.