先
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Translingual
Stroke order | |||
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Han character
先 (Kangxi radical 10, 儿+4, 6 strokes, cangjie input 竹土竹山 (HGHU), four-corner 24211, composition ⿱𠂒儿)
Derived characters
- 侁, 冼, 姺, 𢏡, 㧥, 洗, 𤞓, 选, 㭠, 㱡, 毨, 烍, 珗, 𥏌, 䊁, 兟, 𠸛, 䚚, 詵(诜), 跣, 酰, 銑(铣), 駪
- 𠜎, 䢾, 㪇, 㰫, 𠒑, 𠒒, 𥏋, 𠸜, 𠒣, 𠒷, 𠓀
- 宪, 㾌, 筅, 𨴐
- 㮱
References
- KangXi: page 124, character 5
- Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1349
- Dae Jaweon: page 260, character 6
- Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 267, character 2
- Unihan data for U+5148
Chinese
simp. and trad. | 先 |
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Glyph origin
Historical forms of the character 先 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Shang | Western Zhou | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
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Old Chinese | |
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洗 | *sɯːlʔ, *sɯːnʔ |
先 | *sɯːn, *sɯːns |
銑 | *sɯːnʔ |
跣 | *sɯːnʔ |
毨 | *sɯːnʔ |
姺 | *sɯːnʔ, *srin |
筅 | *sɯːnʔ |
冼 | *sɯːnʔ |
箲 | *sɯːnʔ |
駪 | *srin |
兟 | *srin |
詵 | *srin |
侁 | *srin |
Etymology
Sino-Tibetan. Cognate with Tibetan བསེལ (bsel, “to protect (on a dangerous path); to escort”), Chepang स्यालःसा (syalʔ‑, “to lead; to go or do first; to open way”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Pronunciation 1
Definitions
先
- first; ahead of time; before; beforehand
- 我要先去洗手間。/我要先去洗手间。 ― Wǒ yào xiān qù xǐshǒujiān. ― I need to go to the bathroom first.
- 他比我先畢業。/他比我先毕业。 ― Tā bǐ wǒ xiān bìyè. ― He graduated earlier than me.
- 我要去廁所先。 [Cantonese, trad.]
- ngo5 jiu3 heoi3 ci3 so2 sin1. [Jyutping]
- I need to go to the bathroom first.
我要去厕所先。 [Cantonese, simp.]- 唔好去住先。 [Cantonese] ― m4 hou2 heoi3 zyu6 sin1. [Jyutping] ― (For now) don't go.
- first; preceding; prior
- Antonym: 後/后 (hòu)
- 先聲/先声 ― xiānshēng ― herald; sign
- 領先/领先 ― lǐngxiān ― to be in the lead
- 先兩日/先两日 [Cantonese] ― sin1 loeng5 jat6 [Jyutping] ― day before yesterday; two days ago
- for the time being; for the moment
- (colloquial) earlier on; before; at first
- ancient
- deceased; late
- 先父 ― xiānfù ― deceased father
- ancestor; forefather
- 祖先 ― zǔxiān ― ancestor
- thing of utmost importance
- Short for 先生 (xiānshēng).
- Short for 先手 (xiānshǒu).
- (Cantonese) only then
- 佢瞓到而家先瞓醒覺。 [Cantonese, trad.]
- keoi5 fan3 dou3 ji4 gaa1 sin1 fan3 seng2 gaau3. [Jyutping]
- He slept so long that he only woke up just now.
佢𰥛到而家先𰥛醒觉。 [Cantonese, simp.]- 這先叫成長嗎 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
- From: 2020, 薛凱琪/薛凯琪 [Fiona Sit], lyrics by 黃偉文/黄伟文 [Wyman Wong], 南昌街王子 [The Prince Near You]
- ze2 sin1 giu3 sing4 zoeng2 maa3 [Jyutping]
- Only then would this be called growing?
这先叫成长吗 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]
- (Cantonese) first off
- 你買咗未先?/你买咗未先? [Cantonese] ― nei5 maai5 zo2 mei6 sin1? [Jyutping] ― First off, have you even bought it yet?
- (Cantonese) Used to emphasize that something is/is not.
- 我先唔同佢講。 [Cantonese, trad.]
- ngo5 sin1 m4 tung4 keoi5 gong2. [Jyutping]
- There's no way I'm going to tell them. / No, I am not going to tell them. / They are the last person I would tell.
我先唔同佢讲。 [Cantonese, simp.]- 呢啲先係唱歌。 [Cantonese, trad.]
- ni1 di1 sin1 hai6 coeng3 go1. [Jyutping]
- This is true singing.
呢啲先系唱歌。 [Cantonese, simp.]- 你先食一碗飯點會夠! [Cantonese, trad.]
- nei5 sin1 sik6 jat1 wun2 faan6 dim2 wui5 gau3! [Jyutping]
- Eating one bowl isn't enough!
你先食一碗饭点会够! [Cantonese, simp.]
- a surname
Usage notes
- (first; beforehand): In Standard Mandarin, 先 comes before the verb; in Cantonese, Teochew and Southeast Asian Mandarin, 先 comes after the verb (and elements such as verb aspect and verb object).
Synonyms
- (first): 首先 (shǒuxiān), 最先 (zuìxiān), 第一 (dì-yī)
- (only then):
Variety | Location | Words edit |
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Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 才2, 方 | |
Mandarin | Taiwan | 才2 |
Cantonese | Guangzhou | 先, 至, 先至 |
Hong Kong | 先, 至, 先至 | |
Hakka | Meixian | 正 |
Min Nan | Xiamen | 才3 |
Quanzhou | 才3 | |
Zhangzhou | 才3 | |
Shantou | 正 |
Compounds
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References
- (Min Nan) “Entry #2063”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (in Chinese and Min Nan), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2011.
Pronunciation 2
Definitions
先
- † to guide; to initiate
- † to be earlier
- † to surpass
- † originally
- † to introduce
- † term of address for one's elder brother's wife
Pronunciation 3
Definitions
先
- Only used in 先馬/先马.
Japanese
Kanji
(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)
Readings
- Go-on: せん (sen, Jōyō)
- Kan-on: せん (sen, Jōyō)
- Kun: さき (saki, 先, Jōyō); さきんじる (sakinjiru, 先んじる); まず (mazu, 先ず)
Compounds
- 一先 (hitomazu), 一先ず (hitomazu)
- 先ず無い (mazunai)
Etymology 1
Kanji in this term |
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先 |
さき Grade: 1 |
kun’yomi |
Alternative spelling |
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前 |
From Old Japanese. Cognate with 崎 (saki, “a (geographical) point, where the land sticks out into the water”).[1]
Pronunciation
- (Tokyo) さき [sàkí] (Heiban – [0])[2][3]
- IPA(key): [sa̠kʲi]
Noun
先 • (saki)
- before, previous
- Synonym: 先に (saki ni, “adverb”)
- どっちが先か。
- Dotchi ga saki ka.
- Which one was first?
- end, tip
- 矢の先
- ya no saki
- tip of an arrow
- 矢の先
- earlier, the past
- afterwards, the future
- the destination of a motion or action
- 送信先
- sōshin-saki
- recipient
- バイト先
- baito-saki
- workplace (of a part-time job)
- 行き先不明
- yuki-saki fumei
- whereabouts unknown
- お帰り先
- o-kaeri-saki
- (please add an English translation of this example)
- 送信先
- sequel
- ahead, in front
- その先は森の奥。
- Sono saki wa mori no oku.
- What lies beyond there is the heart of the forest.
- その先は森の奥。
Derived terms
- 先金 (sakigane)
- 先頃 (sakigoro)
- 先々 (sakizaki), 先先 (sakizaki)
- 先隣 (sakidonari)
- 先太 (sakibuto)
- 先棒 (sakibō)
- 先程 (sakihodo)
- 先物 (sakimono)
- 先安 (sakiyasu)
- 宛先 (atesaki)
- 後先 (atosaki)
- 御先 (osaki), お先 (osaki)
- 肩先 (katasaki)
- 口先 (kuchisaki)
- 剣先 (kensaki)
- 現先 (gensaki)
- 幸先 (saisaki)
- 潮先 (shiosaki)
- 舌先 (shitasaki)
- 旅先 (tabisaki)
- 筒先 (tsutsusaki)
- 爪先 (tsumesaki)
- 手先 (tesaki)
- 出先 (desaki)
- 突先 (tossaki)
- 庭先 (niwasaki)
- 軒先 (nokisaki)
- 縁先 (nokisaki)
- 刃先 (hasaki)
- 鼻先 (hanasaki)
- 春先 (harusaki)
- 筆先 (fudesaki)
- 舳先 (hesaki)
- 火先 (hosaki)
- 穂先 (hosaki)
- 矛先 (hokosaki)
- 水先 (mizusaki)
- 店先 (misesaki)
- 胸先 (munasaki)
- 目先 (mesaki)
- 矢先 (yasaki)
- 槍先 (yarisaki)
- 指先 (yubisaki)
- 先売り (sakiuri)
- 先送り (sakiokuri)
- 先買い (sakigai)
- 先借り (sakigari)
- 先立つ (sakidatsu)
- 先立てる (sakidateru)
- 先付け (sakizuke)
- 先取り (sakidori)
- 先走る (sakibashiru)
- 先払い (sakibarai)
- 先んじる (sakinjiru)
- 先んずる (sakinzuru)
- 行き先 (ikisaki)
- 生い先 (oisaki)
- 老い先 (oisaki)
- 送り先 (okurisaki)
- 切っ先 (kissaki)
- 此の先 (konosaki)
- 使い先 (tsukaisaki)
- 勤め先 (tsutomesaki)
- 嫁ぎ先 (totsugisaki)
- 届け先 (todokesaki)
- ペン先 (pensaki)
- 真っ先 (massaki)
- 移転先 (itensaki)
- 一寸先 (issunsaki)
- 勤務先 (kinmusaki)
- 下馬先 (gebasaki)
- 玄関先 (genkansaki)
- 小手先 (kotesaki)
- 購入先 (kōnyūsaki)
- 指示先 (shijisaki)
- 就職先 (shūsokusaki)
- 宿泊先 (shukuhakusaki)
- 照会先 (shōkaisaki)
- 送付先 (sōfusaki)
- 太刀先 (tachisaki)
- 注文先 (chūmonsaki)
- 手羽先 (tebasaki)
- 転居先 (ten'isaki)
- 転送先 (tensōsaki)
- 伝送先 (densōsaki)
- 転任先 (tenninsaki)
- 得意先 (tokuisaki)
- 取引先 (torihikisaki)
- 刷毛先 (hakesaki)
- 配達先 (haitatsusaki)
- 一足先 (hitoashisaki)
- 奉公先 (hōkōsaki)
- 旅行先 (ryokōsaki)
- 連絡先 (renrakusaki)
- 仕入れ先 (shiiresaki)
- 差し出し先 (sashidashisaki)
- 立ち回り先 (tachimawarisaki)
- 取り引き先 (torihikisaki)
- 引っ越し先 (hikkoshisaki)
- 問い合わせ先 (toiawasesaki)
Idioms
- 先を越す (sakiokosu)
Etymology 2
Kanji in this term |
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先 |
さっき Grade: 1 |
irregular |
For pronunciation and definitions of 先 – see the following entry. | ||
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(This term, 先, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) |
Etymology 3
Kanji in this term |
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先 |
せん Grade: 1 |
on’yomi |
From Middle Chinese 先 (MC sen, senH).
Pronunciation
- (Tokyo) せん [séꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
- IPA(key): [sẽ̞ɴ]
Noun
先 • (sen)
- before, previous
Derived terms
- 先鋭 (sen'ei)
- 先回 (senkai)
- 先覚 (senkaku)
- 先学 (sengaku)
- 先議 (sengi)
- 先客 (senkyaku)
- 先駆 (senku)
- 先君 (senkun)
- 先決 (senketsu)
- 先月 (sengetsu)
- 先見 (senken)
- 先賢 (senken)
- 先遣 (senken)
- 先古 (senko)
- 先口 (senkō)
- 先攻 (senkō)
- 先考 (senkō)
- 先行 (senkō)
- 先高 (senkō)
- 先刻 (senkoku)
- 先妻 (sensai)
- 先細 (sensai)
- 先在 (senzai)
- 先様 (sensama)
- 先山 (senzan)
- 先史 (senshi)
- 先師 (senshi)
- 先日 (senjitsu)
- 先主 (senshu)
- 先取 (senshu)
- 先蹴 (senshū)
- 先週 (senshū)
- 先住 (senjū)
- 先述 (senjutsu)
- 先勝 (senshō)
- 先進 (senshin)
- 先人 (senjin)
- 先陣 (senjin)
- 先制 (sensei)
- 先生 (sensei)
- 先聖 (sensei)
- 先祖 (senzo)
- 先代 (sendai)
- 先達 (sendatsu)
- 先端 (sentan)
- 先知 (senchi)
- 先着 (senchaku)
- 先手 (sente)
- 先哲 (sentetsu)
- 先天 (senten)
- 先登 (sentō), 先頭 (sentō)
- 先途 (sendo)
- 先度 (sendo)
- 先塔 (sentō)
- 先投 (sentō)
- 先導 (sendō)
- 先入 (sennyu)
- 先任 (sennin)
- 先年 (sennen)
- 先王 (sennō)
- 先皇 (sennō)
- 先帝 (sennō)
- 先輩 (senpai)
- 先発 (senpatsu)
- 先般 (senpan)
- 先番 (senban)
- 先非 (senpi)
- 先妣 (senpi)
- 先夫 (senpu)
- 先婦 (senpu)
- 先父 (senpu)
- 先負 (senbu)
- 先兵 (senpei)
- 先便 (senben)
- 先鞭 (senben)
- 先方 (senpō)
- 先鋒 (senpō)
- 先務 (senmu)
- 先夜 (sen'ya)
- 先役 (sen'yaku)
- 先約 (sen'yaku)
- 先例 (senrei)
- 機先 (kisen)
- 祖先 (sosen)
- 帥先 (sossen), 卒先 (sossen), 率先 (sossen)
- 優先 (yūsen)
- 先達て (sendatte), 先だって (sendatte)
- 先駆者 (senkusha)
- 先験的 (senkenteki)
- 先伝言 (sendengon, “herald”)
- 鋭先形 (eisenkei)
References
- 1988, 国語大辞典(新装版) (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
- 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
Korean
Etymology 1
From Middle Chinese 先 (MC sen).
Historical readings |
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Pronunciation
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [sʰʌ̹n]
- Phonetic hangul: [선]
Hanja
Wikisource先 (eumhun 먼저 선 (meonjeo seon))
- Hanja form? of 선 (“first; foremost”).
- Hanja form? of 선 (“former; previous”).
Compounds
- 선각 (先覺, seon'gak)
- 선결 (先決, seon'gyeol)
- 선고 (先考, seon'go)
- 선구 (先驅, seon'gu)
- 선급 (先給, seon'geup)
- 선김 (先金, seon'gim)
- 선단 (先端, seondan)
- 선대 (先代, seondae)
- 선례 (先例, seollye)
- 선배 (先輩, seonbae)
- 선봉 (先鋒, seonbong)
- 선산 (先山, seonsan)
- 선생 (先生, seonsaeng)
- 선세 (先世, seonse)
- 선수 (先手, seonsu)
- 선약 (先約, seonyak)
- 선열 (先烈, seonyeol)
- 선영 (先塋, seonyeong)
- 선조 (先祖, seonjo)
- 선진 (先進, seonjin)
- 선착 (先着, seonchak)
- 선창 (先唱, seonchang)
- 선천 (先天, seoncheon)
- 선취 (先取, seonchwi)
- 선친 (先親, seonchin)
- 선행 (先行, seonhaeng)
- 우선 (于先, useon)
- 우선 (優先, useon)
- 조선 (祖先, joseon)
- 선구자 (先驅者, seon'guja)
- 선도자 (先導者, seondoja)
- 선입견 (先入見, seonipgyeon)
- 선입관 (先入觀, seonipgwan)
- 선지자 (先知者, seonjija)
- 선진국 (先進國, seonjin'guk)
- 선착순 (先着順, seonchaksun)
- 선천적 (先天的, seoncheonjeok)
- 선후책 (先後策, seonhuchaek)
- 설렁탕 (先農湯, seolleongtang)
Etymology 2
Related to Middle Chinese 洗 (MC seiX).
Hanja
先 (eumhun 전구(前驅) 세 (jeon'gu se))
- (archaic) Hanja form? of 세 (“to lead; to guide”).
Compounds
- 세마 (先馬/洗馬, sema)
References
- 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典.
Vietnamese
Han character
先: Hán Việt readings: tiên (
先: Nôm readings: tiên[1][2][3][4][6], tên[1], ten[3], teng[3]
- chữ Hán form of tiên (“first; prior; before”).
Compounds
- 頭先 (đầu tiên)
- 先生 (tiên sinh)
- 先進 (tiên tiến)
- 先祖 (tiên tổ)
- 祖先 (tổ tiên)
- 優先 (ưu tiên)
References
- Nguyễn (2014).
- Nguyễn et al. (2009).
- Trần (2004).
- Bonet (1899).
- Génibrel (1898).
- Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).