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Character 先

Learn Chinese Characters

Learn the chinese character 先 ( xiān ) : ancestor, earlier.
Writing, calligraphy, stroke order, history, etymology, calligraphic style, expressions.

pinyin	xiān
strokes	6
meaning	xiān : early / prior / former / in advance / first
dictionary	先

笔顺

Stroke order

提示

Etymology

the top part is a small plant 屮 issuing from the ground 一 indicating progress. The lower part is a picture of marching legs 儿.

部首

Radical

儿

常用词语

Frequently-used words or phrases

首先	shǒu xiān	first (of all) / in the first place
先锋	xiān fēng	herald / pioneer
先后	xiān hòu	(adv.) early or late / priority / in succession / one after another
先进	xiān jìn	advanced (technology) / to advance
先前	xiān qián	before / previously
先生	xiān sheng	sir / mister / teacher / (title of respect)
先天	xiān tiān	inborn / innate
先行	xiān xíng	(v.) go in advance o others (adv.) first
先人	xiān rén	(n.) ancestors
优先	yōu xiān	priority
祖先	zǔ xiān	ancestor / forefather