先 xiān

1. xiān noun first
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Time
   Notes: In the sense of 先前 (Han Dian '先' n 1; Unihan '先')
2. xiān noun early; prior; former
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Time
   Notes: (Han Dian '先' n 5; Unihan '先')
3. xiān verb to go forward; to advance
   Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
   Notes: In this sense 先 has the same meaning as 前进 (Han Dian '先' v 2)
4. xiān verb to attach importance to; to value
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
   Notes: In this sense 先 has the same meaning as 重视 (Han Dian '先' v 4)
5. xiān verb to start
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
   Notes: In this sense 先 has the same meaning as 开始 (Han Dian '先' v 6)
6. xiān noun ancestors; forebears
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Genealogy
   Notes: In this sense 先 has the same meaning as 先世 or 祖先 (Han Dian '先' n 3)
7. xiān adverb earlier
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
   Notes: (Han Dian '先' adv)
8. xiān adjective before; in front
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
   Notes: In this sense 先 has the same meaning as 前 (Han Dian '先' adj 1)
9. xiān adjective fundamental; basic
   Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Philosophy
   Notes: In this sense 先 has the same meaning as 首要 or 根本 (Han Dian '先' adj 4)
10. xiān proper noun Xian
    Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Names , Concept: Surname 姓氏
    Notes: (Han Dian '先' n 7)
11. xiān noun ancient; archaic
    Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
    Notes: In the sense of 先代的 (Han Dian '先' adj 2)
12. xiān adjective super
    Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
    Notes: In the sense of 上 (Han Dian '先' adj 6)
13. xiān adjective deceased
    Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
    Notes: In the sense of 死 (Han Dian '先' adj 8)

Contained in

• 意存笔先，画尽意在(意存筆先，畫盡意在) the idea is present before the first stroke of the brush, when the last stroke is placed the idea shines through
• 先生施教 as the teacher bestows his teachings
• 领先地位(領先地位) lead position
• 先母 deceased mother
• 先王之政 the rule of former kings
• 先王之乐(先王之樂) the music of former kings
• 最先 the first; the earliest
• 先兵后礼(先兵後禮) first troops and then politeness
• 事先通知 preliminary notification; to announce in advance
• 原先 former; original
• 优先认股权(優先認股權) preemptive right (in share issue)
• 不首先使用 no first use (policy for nuclear weapons); NFU
• 尽先(儘先) in the first instance; as a first priority
• 按时间先后(按時間先後) chronological
• 先鞭 to take precedence; to make an early start; to lead the way
• 急先锋(急先鋒) daring vanguard; pioneer; leading figure
• 女士优先(女士優先) Ladies first!
• 后进先出(後進先出) to come late and leave first; last in, first out (LIFO)
• 先贤(先賢) a worthy predecessor; a former sage
• 先天道 Xiantiandao
• 先机(先機) key moment; decisive opportunity
• 大先知书(大先知書) the biblical books of the prophets
• 先前 before; previously
• 账房先生(賬房先生) bookkeeper
• 优先(優先) with priority
• 先生 Mr.; sir; mister ; first born ; husband ; teacher ; gentleman ; doctor ; bookkeeper ; fortune teller ; prostitute ; a Taoist scholar
• 先进个人(先進個人) (official accolade) advanced individual; exemplary individual
• 从先(從先) before; in the past; previously
• 机先(機先) a sign of an emerging issue
• 少先队(少先隊) Young Pioneers
• 先后顺序(先後順序) order of priority; sequential order
• 闻风先遁(聞風先遁) to flee at hearing the news
• 先有 prior; preexisting
• 先哲 distinguished precursor; famous thinker of antiquity
• 先决条件(先決條件) precondition; prerequisite
• 先知先觉(先知先覺) foresight; having foresight; person of foresight
• 先行 to precede
• 先民 ancestors; predecessors
• 先行者 forerunner
• 先觉(先覺) foresight ; a person with foresight
• 先期 in advance; beforehand; front-end
• 先妣 deceased mother

Also contained in

先秦诸子 、 白先勇 、 戴克里先 、 曲先 、 先行词 、 赛先生 、 五柳先生传 、 先进先出 、 也先

Word is mentioned most frequently in

Truncated for common words

• 卷六十九 列傳第二十九 劉湛 范曄 Volume 69 Biographies 29: Liu Zhan, Fan Ye Book of Song 宋書 — count: 53
• 卷33 宋隱 王憲 屈遵 張蒲 榖渾 公孫表 張濟 李先 賈彝 薛提 Volume 33: Song Yin, Wang Xian, Qu Zun, Zhang Pu, Gu Hun, Gongsun Biao, Zhang Ji, Li Xian, Jia Yi, Xue Ti Book of Wei 魏書 — count: 50
• 昭公 Lord Zhao The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 49
• 卷二十八下　　　志第十八下　　曆四下 Volume 28b Treatises 21: Calendar 4b New Book of Tang 新唐書 — count: 47
• 卷一百〇二 志第五十五 禮五 Volume 102 Treatises 55: Rites 5 History of Song 宋史 — count: 46
• 卷三十三　列傳第二十三 范泰 荀伯子 徐廣 鄭鮮之 裴松之 何承天 Volume 33 Biographies 23: Fan Tai, Xun Bozi, Xu Guang, Zhen Xianzhi, Pei Songzhi, He Chengtian History of the Southern Dynasties 南史 — count: 46
• 卷十四 志第四 禮一 Volume 14 Treatises 4: Rituals 1 Book of Song 宋書 — count: 45
• 襄公 Lord Xiang The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — count: 41
• 卷三十八　志第十九:　禮十一 外國使入見儀 曲宴儀 朝辭儀 新定夏使儀注 Volume 38 Treatises 19: Rites 11 - Ceremonies for Receiving Foreign Emissaries; Music for Banquets; Farewell Rituals; Ceremonies for Newly Appointed Officials History of Jin 金史 — count: 41
• 卷四十九 志第二十五 禮三 Volume 49 Treatises 25: Rites 3 History of Ming 明史 — count: 40

Collocations

• 先轸 (先軫) 先軫曰 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 僖公 Lord Xi — count: 10
• 先大夫 (先大夫) 先大夫臧文仲 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 文公 Lord Wen — count: 7
• 先蔑 (先蔑) 使先蔑 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 文公 Lord Wen — count: 6
• 先正 (先正) 羣公先正 — The Book of Songs 詩經, 大雅‧蕩之什‧雲漢 Greater odes of the kingdom - Decade Of Dang - Yun Han — count: 6
• 先縠 (先縠) 先縠佐之 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 宣公 Lord Xuan — count: 5
• 请先 (請先) 請先相見 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 隱公 Lord Yin — count: 5
• 先入 (先入) 費請先入 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 莊公 Lord Zhang — count: 4
• 先书 (先書) 先書 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 序 Preface — count: 4
• 先克 (先剋) 先克佐之 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 文公 Lord Wen — count: 4
• 先归 (先歸) 宰孔先歸 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 僖公 Lord Xi — count: 3