先 – vocab dash

先xiān

Top 500

Meanings

1. beforehand; first; earlier

2. at first; originally

3. for the time being; for now

4. (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself)

Characters used

Examples54

他们tāmen两liǎng个gè里lǐ高gāo的de那nà一个yīge先xiān出来chūlái了le。

The taller of the two went out first.

他们tāmen比bǐ我们wǒmen先xiān开始kāishǐ。

They had started earlier than we had.

玛丽说shuō她tā以为yǐwéi必须bìxū先xiān完成wánchéng这zhè件jiàn事shì才cái能néng回家huíjiā。

Mary said she thought she might have to do that before she can go home.

你nǐ想xiǎng我们wǒmen先xiān结婚jiéhūn还是háishi先xiān生shēng孩子háizi？

Do you want to get married first or have a child first?

我wǒ先xiān想xiǎng跟gēn你nǐ见jiàn个gè面miàn。

I want to see you first.

你nǐ在zài说话shuōhuà前qián应该yīnggāi先xiān思考sīkǎo。

You should think before you speak.