Meaning of 先
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- beforehand; first; earlier
- at first; originally
- for the time being; for now
- (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself)
How to use 先
As an adverb, 先 goes before the verb to say what happens first, and it often pairs with 再 (zài) or 然后 (ránhòu) for the next step. Example: 我先吃饭，再做作业。(Wǒ xiān chīfàn, zài zuò zuòyè.) I will eat first, then do my homework.
The bottom of 先 (xiān) looks like 儿, a pair of walking legs, with a shape like a foot stepping out above them. Picture someone whose foot steps forward before everyone else, so they go first.
Common mistake: Learners often put 先 at the start of the sentence like English "first," as in 先我吃饭. It must come after the subject and right before the verb: 我先吃饭. Also do not confuse it with 洗 (xǐ, to wash), which adds the water radical 氵.
先 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
先 xiān · beforehand · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 先.
| 先生 | xiānsheng | teacher; gentleman; sir; mister (Mr.) |
| 首先 | shǒuxiān | first of all; in the first place |
| 先进 | xiānjìn | sophisticated; advanced (technology etc); meritorious; exemplary (deeds etc) |
| 领先 | lǐngxiān | to lead; to be in front |
| 事先 | shìxiān | in advance; before the event |
| 率先 | shuàixiān | to take the lead; to show initiative |
| 优先 | yōuxiān | to have priority; to take precedence |
| 先前 | xiānqián | before; previously |
| 原先 | yuánxiān | originally; original |
| 先后 | xiānhòu | early or late; first and last; priority; in succession; one after another |
| 先锋 | xiānfēng | vanguard; pioneer; avant-garde |
| 祖先 | zǔxiān | ancestors; forebears; (biology) ancestral species; ancient species from which present-day |
Questions about 先
What does 先 mean?
先 (xiān) means "beforehand; first; earlier; at first; originally" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 先?
先 is made of 1 character: 先 (6 strokes). That is 6 strokes in total.
Is 先 an HSK word?
Yes. 先 is on the HSK 1 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 先 and 首先?
先 is an adverb placed before a verb to show order, as in 你先走 (nǐ xiān zǒu), you go first. 首先 (shǒuxiān) usually opens a sentence or a list of points, like "first of all," and sounds more formal.
Does 先生 always mean Mr.?
先生 (xiānsheng) means Mr. or sir when placed after a surname, as in 王先生 (Wáng xiānsheng). It can also mean someone's husband, as in 我先生 (wǒ xiānsheng), my husband. In older or formal usage it can mean teacher.