Writing
先 (xiān) — how to say "first" in Chinese
先
First
time adverb
How to use it
Goes after the subject, before the verb.
你先吃饭吧。
nǐ xiān chī fàn ba
Eat first.
Radicals / Keys
儿
Son, legs
#10 · ér · 2 strokes
Synonyms
Collocations
先走
xiān zǒu
leave first
先吃
xiān chī
eat first
先看
xiān kàn
look first
Examples
我们先把计划定好，然后再行动。
Let's first make a plan, then take action.
你先请。
Please go first.
Mnemonic
[xiān-] Shannon the explorer stumbles upon an ancient stone with the character 先 in the forest. 🌲 First, she traces the top horizontal line 一 with her finger and senses that this symbol is guiding her forward, like a compass. This is how Shannon learned that 先 means "first," leading her on her adventure!
Frequently asked questions
How to say you first in Chinese?
"first" in Chinese is 先 (xiān).
先 meaning in English
先 (xiān) means "First".
First in Chinese pinyin
It is pronounced xiān (written as xian). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
Xian in Chinese character
It is written 先 and has 6 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 先?
先 belongs to the HSK 3 vocabulary list.
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Grammar with 先
先 — first… then…
先 (xiān)……, 再 (zài)……
不用 — don't need to
Subj. + 不用 (bú yòng) + Verb Phrase
到时候 — when the time comes
到时候 (dào shíhou), Main Clause (future reference)
你 — go ahead and do it: 你X你的吧
你 (nǐ) + Verb + 你的 (nǐ de) + 吧 (ba)
不妨 vs 务必 — advice vs requirement
不妨 (bùfáng) + Verb Phrase (soft suggestion) / 务必 (wùbì) + Verb Phrase (insistent requirement)
个 — casual small action
Verb + 个 (ge) + Noun