Meaning of 先锋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- vanguard; pioneer; avant-garde
How to use 先锋
先锋 describes people or groups at the front of a movement, from soldiers in an advance force to artists or thinkers who try new things. It often appears in phrases like 先锋作用 (xiānfēng zuòyòng, a leading role) and 先锋艺术 (xiānfēng yìshù, avant-garde art). Example: 他们是改革的先锋。(Tāmen shì gǎigé de xiānfēng.) They are the pioneers of the reform.
先 (xiān) means first or ahead, and 锋 (fēng) is the sharp edge or point of a blade. The 先锋 is the first, sharpest point of a group that cuts forward ahead of everyone else.
Common mistake: Learners often write 锋 (fēng) as 峰 (fēng, mountain peak) or 蜂 (fēng, bee), since all three share the same sound and right side. In 先锋 the left part must be the metal radical 钅, because the word comes from the sharp edge of a weapon.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
先 xiān · beforehand · 6 strokes
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锋 fēng · spear-point · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 先锋.
| 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 |
| 祖先 | zǔxiān | ancestors; forebears; (biology) ancestral species; ancient species from which present-day |
| 预先 | yùxiān | beforehand; in advance |
Questions about 先锋
What does 先锋 mean?
先锋 (xiānfēng) means "vanguard; pioneer; avant-garde" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 先锋?
先锋 is made of 2 characters: 先 (6 strokes), 锋 (12 strokes). That is 18 strokes in total.
Is 先锋 an HSK word?
Yes. 先锋 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 先锋 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 先锋 is written 先鋒.
What is the difference between 先锋 and 先进?
先锋 is mainly a noun for the person or group leading the way, while 先进 is usually an adjective meaning advanced or exemplary. You say 先进技术 (advanced technology) but 改革先锋 (a pioneer of reform).
Can 先锋 be used like an adjective?
Yes, it often comes before another noun to mean avant-garde or experimental, as in 先锋派 (xiānfēngpài, the avant-garde school) or 先锋小说 (xiānfēng xiǎoshuō, experimental fiction). In this use it describes a bold, unconventional style.