| 先 | 32B05 10.70 | 部居  | 畫數 6 | ㄒㄧㄢ [xian1] (*ㄒㄧㄢˋ [xian4] ). | ||
| N. | (1) Place ahead, time before: 在你之先 ahead of you; 未開始之先 before it began; see 先前[xian1qian2]↓. (2) A surname. | |||||
| V.t. | (1) To precede: 先意承志 do things before one is told. (2) (pr. *[xian4] in AC classics)To go before, precede: 知所先後 to know what should precede, and what follow; 先己後人 put self before others; 先下手為強 advantage for striking first. | |||||
| Adj. | (1) Ahead in place, before in time, opp. 後 behind: 先路 road ahead, those leading; 先例[xian1li4]↓ (2) The deceased, the late (uncle, mother, husband, wife, etc.): 先大夫，先府君 my (our) late father; 先秦 pre-Chirn period. (3) Pertaining to past ages: 先聖，先賢，先哲，先輩 [xian1sheng4], [xian1xian2], [xian1zhe2], [xian1bei4]↓. (4) Of prime importance or prior in importance: 先要[xian1yao4]↓. | |||||
| Adv. | First, before (other things): 我先吃了 I have eaten already (ahead of dinner hour); first: 你先去 or 在先, you go first; 以先，之先; (used after vb.) before: 未去之先 before he went away; 先發制人(mil.) the advantage of initiative or initial attack, also in social or political fights; 先禮後兵 first a courteous exchange of words, then war; 先入為主 the first speaker has the advantage to instil certain notions; 先入之見 prejudice; 先花後果“first flower, then fruit”-first have daughters, then sons; 先錢後酒 first pay, then deliver goods; 先斬後奏 (general) empowered to kill first then report later; 先親後不改 the form of address of a relative does not change if a new relationship develops; 先憂後樂 first labor, then enjoy later; 先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂 a leader should plan and worry ahead of the people, and enjoy the fruits after the people. | |||||
| Words | 1. 先輩 [xian1bei4], n., the elder generation. 2. 先妣 [xian1bi3], n., my deceased mother. 3. 先前 [xian1qian2], adv., in times before: 先前不這樣 it was not so before. 4. 先期 [xian1qi2], (1) adv., beforehand: 先期通知他 inform him beforehand; (2) in earlier period. 5. 先驅 [xian1qU1], n., pioneer, vanguard. 6. 先達 [xian1dao4], n., the elder leaders, leaders of the past generation, see [xian1sheng4], [xian1xian2]↓. 7. 先導 [xian1dao4], n., pioneer; guide, leader setting example for others. 8. 先德 [xian1de2], n., (1)the respected elders; (2)(court.) another's ancestors. 9. 先鋒 [xian1feng1], n., vanguard; leader of a movement. 10. 先河 [xian1he2], n., (LL) beginnings, breaking of path for others to follow (as the sea can be traced back to the rivers). 11. 先後 [xian1hou4], (1)adv., successively: 先後到會(guests)come in succession; (2)n., order of precedence. 12. 先兆 [xian1zhao4], n., omen, foreboding of what is to come. 13. 先正 [xian1zheng4], n., see [xian1xian2]↓. 14. 先哲 [xian1zhe2], n., wise men of the past. 15. 先見 [xian1jian4], n., foresight, vision: 先見之明 the ability to discern what is coming. 16. 先進 [xian1jin4], n., the forerunners: 先進國家 the countries that have progressed ahead. 17. 先知 [xian1zhi1], n., prophet, seer. 18. 先決 [xian1jUe2]1, adj., first to be determined: 先決問題，條件 problem, terms, to be decided first, precondition. 19. 先覺 [xian1jUe2]2, n., prophet: 先知先覺 phr., see[xian1zhi1]↑. 20. 先君 [xian1jUn1], n., my late father; 令先君 your late father. 21. 先考 [xian1kao3], n., deceased father; cf. 先妣[xian1bi3]↑. 22. 先烈 [xian1lie4], n., the martyrs of the past. 23. 先例 [xian1li4], n., a precedent: 古無先例 unprecedented in history. 24. 先令 [xian1ling4], n., (translit.) a shilling. 25. 先民 [xian1min2], n., ancestors of a race, primitive forbears. 26. 先人 [xian1ren2], n.,ancestors. 27. 先容 [xian1rong2], v.i., to speak for person before one contacts or sees persons on business: 為我先容 speak for me first. 28. 先聖 [xian1sheng4], n., sages of the past. 29. 先生 [xian1sheng0], n., (1)teacher; (2) Mr.(used after surname) 林先生 Mr. Lin (or after personal name, which is also courteous among friends and acquaintances: 克強先生); 某某先生夫人 Mr. & Mrs. So-and-so; (3) a court. address to scholars, elders: 諸位先生 gentlemen (opening address); (4) as address to literate profession: 賬房先生 Mr. treasurer; 風水先生 necromancer; 星相先生 astrologer; (5) a singsong girl: 小先生 non-adult girl; 大先生 adult girl; (6) reference to husband: 我的，他的先生不在家 my ,her, husband is not at home; (7)(in Yuarn Dyn.) a Taoist priest. 30. 先聲 [xian1sheng1], n., first signs, herald, precursor (to an event or change). 31. 先賢 [xian1xian2], n., wise men; scholars of the past. 32. 先行 [xian1xing2], adv., first: 先行試辦 try first this arrangement. 33. 先手 [xian1shou3], n., the first by turn or in action. 34. 先師 [xian1shi1], n., teacher or master of the past: 至聖大成先師孔子 Confucius, the ultimate teacher and master. 35. 先世 [xian1shi4]1 n., former generations. 36. 先事 [xian1shi4]2 adv., first: 先事宣傳 begin first with publicity, propaganda. 37. 先是 [xian1shi4]3 adv., (LL) to go back to the beginning (introducing background of story). 38. 先室 [xian1shi4]4 n., my late wife. 39. 先識 [xian1shi4]5 n., foresight. 40. 先緒 [xian1xU4], n., ancestral heritage. 41. 先史 [xian1shi3], adj., prehistoric: 先史時代 prehistoric times. 42. 先天 [xian1tian1], n., (1) born constitution, physique or mental energy; (2)instinctive, inborn, innate (kindness); n., (3) 先天性 adj.&. n., (disease) congenital. 43. 先頭 [xian1tou2], adv.,(1) at first: 先頭他不知道 at first he did not know; [xian1tou2], adv., (2) formerly. 44. 先策 [xian1ce4], v.t., to foretell, predict (outcome). 45. 先慈 [xian1ci2], n., my deceased mother. 46. 先澤 [xian1ze2], n., benefits from one'ancestor(s). 47. 先子 [xian1zi3], n., (AC) a deceased father, or ancestor or uncle. 48. 先王 [xian1wang2], n., (AC) the great kings of past dynasties; 三代先王 refers to the great kings of early periods: 禹，湯，文王，武王 of 夏，商，周 Dyns. 49. 先務 [xian1wu4], phr., 先務之急 first things first. 50. 先嚴 [xian1yan2], n., my deceased father. 51. 先要 [xian1yao4], n., first essentials. 52. 先引 [xian1yin3], n., guide (who leads the way). 53. 先塋 [xian1ying2], n., ancestral graveyard. | |||||