先 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') -
noun
early; prior; former
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Time
Notes: (Han Dian '先' n 5; Unihan '先') -
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) -
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) -
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) -
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) -
adverb
earlier
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
Notes: (Han Dian '先' adv) -
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) -
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) -
proper noun
Xian
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Names , Concept: Surname 姓氏
Notes: (Han Dian '先' n 7) -
noun
ancient; archaic
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In the sense of 先代的 (Han Dian '先' adj 2) -
adjective
super
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In the sense of 上 (Han Dian '先' adj 6) -
adjective
deceased
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In the sense of 死 (Han Dian '先' adj 8)
Contained in
- 先鞭 to take precedence; to make an early start; to lead the way
- 先容 to introduce somebody; to recommend
- 少先队(少先隊) Young Pioneers
- 最先 the first; the earliest
- 先睹为快(先睹為快) joy of first experience; the pleasure of reading something for the first time
- 事先 in advance; beforehand; prior
- 事先通知 preliminary notification; to announce in advance
- 其先 previously
- 争先(爭先) to compete to be first
- 先辈(先輩) former generations
- 先天性缺陷 birth defect
- 先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐(先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂) The first concern is affairs of state, enjoying the pleasure comes later.
- 身先士卒 to fight at the head of one's troops; to take the lead
- 先令 shilling
- 开先(開先) at first
- 先发(先發) initial; arising first
- 急先锋(急先鋒) daring vanguard; pioneer; leading figure
- 先头(先頭) in advance; ahead; before; previously
- 承先启后(承先啟後) to follow the past and herald the future; part of a historical transition; forming a bridge between earlier and later stages
- 先声夺人(先聲奪人) to gain the upper hand by a show of strength
- 先世 previous generations ; previous generations
- 领先地位(領先地位) lead position
- 先大母 deceased paternal grandmother
- 先下手为强(先下手為強) strike first and gain the upper hand (idiom, martial arts term)
- 先有 prior; preexisting
- 先天道 Xiantiandao
- 先来后到(先來後到) in order of arrival; first come, first served
- 先锋派(先鋒派) avant-garde
- 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
- 缠夹二先生(纏夾二先生) annoying muddle-headed person who gabbles unintelligibly
- 抢先(搶先) to compete to be the first
- 率先 to take the lead; to show initiative
- 国际先驱论坛报(國際先驅論壇報) International Herald Tribune
- 先圣(先聖) an ancient sage; an ancient saint ; Confucius
- 从先(從先) before; in the past; previously
- 先天不足 congenital deficiency; inherent weakness
- 近火先燋 the one closest to the fire will be the first burned
- 先入为主(先入為主) first impression is strongest
- 先锋(先鋒) a pioneer
- 近水楼台先得月(近水樓臺先得月) the pavilion closest to the water enjoys moonlight first
- 先帝 ancient emperors ; former emperor; deceased emperor
- 百善孝为先(百善孝為先) of all virtues filial piety is most important
- 早先 at first; previously
- 先后(先後) start and finish ; in succession ; sisters in law ; to assist
- 大先知书(大先知書) the biblical books of the prophets
- 先严(先嚴) deceased father
Also contained in
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
- 卷十四 志第四 禮一 Volume 14 Treatises 4: Rituals 1 Book of Song 宋書 — count: 47
- 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
- 卷一百〇二 志第五十五 禮五 Volume 102 Treatises 55: Rites 5 History of Song 宋史 — count: 46
- 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: 41
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
- 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
- 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
- 晋先 (晉先) 晉先且居 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 文公 Lord Wen — count: 3
- 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: 3
- 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