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March 24, 2026
先xiān(xian1)
The character 先 (xiān) means 'first' or 'prior' and is often used to indicate something that happens before another event. It can also imply an early occurrence, emphasizing the importance of sequence in actions or events. You may encounter it in phrases indicating precedence or priority.
Strokes6Radical儿Frequency#242DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of precedence is significant, especially in social settings where the eldest or most senior person often goes first in meals or conversations. This reflects the respect for hierarchy and order.
Memory Tip
Think of 先 (xiān) as a person standing at the front of a line, ready to take the first step. The character has the radical for 'before' (先) which visually resembles someone leading the way, highlighting its meaning of something that comes first.
Meanings of 先
xiān(xian1)
1early
2prior
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 先
先Simplified
6Strokes
儿Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#242Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 先
Podcast: 先
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AI Study Notes for 先
Quick Contrast
先 (xiān) vs 首先 (shǒuxiān) — use 先 for general precedence, while 首先 emphasizes the first step in a sequence.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the tone in pronunciation, as 先 is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone). Common collocations include 先走 (xiān zǒu, 'to go first') and 先来 (xiān lái, 'to come first'). Avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words like 现 (xiàn) which means 'now'.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 3 word, 先 connects well with other time-related vocabulary like 后 (hòu, 'after') and 以前 (yǐqián, 'before'). Focus on using 先 in sentences to express order and precedence.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is confusing 先 (xiān) with 现 (xiàn), which means 'now.' For example, saying '我现去' (wǒ xiàn qù) instead of '我先去' (wǒ xiān qù) changes the meaning from 'I am going now' to 'I am going first.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 先
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Depicts a person (人) stepping forward (止) leading the way.
1The giveawaySomeone stepping 止 in front of another person 儿
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 先? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 先?
Decomposition of 先
IDS Structure⿱⿰？土儿
先Full Character
=
土Tu3
left
儿er2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 先?
How to say early in Chinese
“early” in Chinese is先xiān
The character 先 (xiān) means 'first' or 'prior' and is often used to indicate something that happens before another event. It can also imply an early occurrence, emphasizing the importance of sequence in actions or events. You may encounter it in phrases indicating precedence or priority.
When to use 先
Be mindful of the tone in pronunciation, as 先 is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone). Common collocations include 先走 (xiān zǒu, 'to go first') and 先来 (xiān lái, 'to come first'). Avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words like 现 (xiàn) which means 'now'.
先 or something close to it
先 (xiān) vs 首先 (shǒuxiān) — use 先 for general precedence, while 首先 emphasizes the first step in a sequence.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is confusing 先 (xiān) with 现 (xiàn), which means 'now.' For example, saying '我现去' (wǒ xiàn qù) instead of '我先去' (wǒ xiān qù) changes the meaning from 'I am going now' to 'I am going first.'
Write 先
先
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Practice writing 先 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 先
先 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
