先 xiān
-
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') -
xiān
noun
early; prior; former
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Time
Notes: (Han Dian '先' n 5; Unihan '先') -
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) -
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) -
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) -
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) -
xiān
adverb
earlier
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语
Notes: (Han Dian '先' adv) -
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) -
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) -
xiān
proper noun
Xian
Domain: Modern Chinese 现代汉语 , Subdomain: Names , Concept: Surname 姓氏
Notes: (Han Dian '先' n 7) -
xiān
noun
ancient; archaic
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In the sense of 先代的 (Han Dian '先' adj 2) -
xiān
adjective
super
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In the sense of 上 (Han Dian '先' adj 6) -
xiān
adjective
deceased
Domain: Literary Chinese 文言文
Notes: In the sense of 死 (Han Dian '先' adj 8)
Contained in
- 先严(先嚴) deceased father
- 事先 in advance; beforehand; prior
- 先进武器(先進武器) advanced weapon
- 先生施教 as the teacher bestows his teachings
- 先斩后奏(先斬後奏) first decapitate then present your trophy; act first, report later
- 索马里先令(索馬裡先令) Somali shilling
- 一马当先(一馬當先) to take the lead
- 未老先衰 to age prematurely
- 先鞭 to take precedence; to make an early start; to lead the way
- 先验概率(先驗概率) prior probability
- 其先 previously
- 敢为人先(敢為人先) to dare to be first; to pioneer
- 先行者 forerunner
- 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.
- 先进(先進) advanced ; advance
- 先头(先頭) in advance; ahead; before; previously
- 先达(先達) famous and virtuous ancestors; the great men of the past
- 先下手为强(先下手為強) strike first and gain the upper hand (idiom, martial arts term)
- 恶人先告状(惡人先告狀) the guilty party files the suit; the thief cries thief
- 急先锋(急先鋒) daring vanguard; pioneer; leading figure
- 最先 the first; the earliest
- 优先承购权(優先承購權) prior purchase right; right of first refusal (ROFR); preemptive right to purchase
- 先导(先導) a guide; a forerunner; a pioneer
- 先进个人(先進個人) (official accolade) advanced individual; exemplary individual
- 先容 to introduce somebody; to recommend
- 妖孽亦先见(妖孽亦先見) a bad omen will first be seen
- 先生 Mr.; sir; mister ; first born ; husband ; teacher ; gentleman ; doctor ; bookkeeper ; fortune teller ; prostitute ; a Taoist scholar
- 优先认股权(優先認股權) preemptive right (in share issue)
- 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
- 欲善其事,必先利其器 To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools . Good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job
- 抢先(搶先) to compete to be the first
- 先锋(先鋒) a pioneer
- 溘先朝露 the morning dew will swiftly dissipate; ephemeral and precarious nature of human existence
- 先知 prophet ; prophecy; precognition
- 先知先觉(先知先覺) foresight; having foresight; person of foresight
- 先来后到(先來後到) in order of arrival; first come, first served
- 占先 to occupy first
- 先锋队(先鋒隊) vanguard
- 先帝 ancient emperors ; former emperor; deceased emperor
- 首先 first
- 领先地位(領先地位) lead position
- 算命先生 fortune-teller
- 先声夺人(先聲奪人) to gain the upper hand by a show of strength
- 争先恐后(爭先恐後) striving to be first and fearing to be last
- 小子先顺(小子先順) worthy progeny
- 先入为主(先入為主) first impression is strongest
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
- 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
- 襄公 Lord Xiang The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳 — 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: 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
- 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
- 先儒 (先儒) 先儒所傳 — The Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋左氏傳, 序 Preface — count: 3