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先

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

See also:失,矢,and兂

先	U+5148,先 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5148

←兇
[U+5147]

CJK Unified Ideographs

光 →
[U+5149]

Translingual

[edit]

Stroke order

Han character

[edit]

先 (Kangxi radical 10,儿+4, 6 strokes,cangjie input竹土竹山 (HGHU),four-corner2421₁,composition⿱𠂒儿)

Derived characters

[edit]

侁,冼,姺,㧥,洗,㭠,㱡,烍,珗,䊁,䚚,詵 (诜),跣,酰,銑 (铣),駪
选,毨,兟,䢾,㪇,㰫,宪,筅,㾌

Additional Derived Characters

𫩱, 𱛥, 𢏡, 𢓠, 𢙝, 𤞓, 𰖅, 𮲫, 𭽧, 𥏌, 𥑻, 𥙝, 𰨥, 𫪕, 𠒛, 𦀈, 𠸛, 𡖬, 𭦞, 𧱀, 𬇶, 𩇜, 𱨣, 𩛔, 𬳽, 𰥅, 𩶤, 𲍏, 𱏯
𠜎, 𣭡, 𧠺, 𨾷, 𩒙, 𠒷, 𬚬, 𩣂, 𭀵, 𫤢, 𭀷, 𭀳, 𭀺, 𠈣, 𠒑, 𠒒, 𥏋, 𠸜, 𱥜, 𮶌, 𠒣, 𰺧, 𭀲, 𫤠, 𪞄, 𪀷, 𠓀
𣭟, 𤄳, 𫌦, 𠀡, 𦭶, 𢈇, 𨴐, 𢔬
𨪹, 𤍹, 𰀐, 𠅬, 𠅨, 𡬃

References

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Kangxi Dictionary: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

[edit]

simp. andtrad.		先

Wikipedia has articles on:

先(Written Standard Chinese^?)
先(Cantonese)

Glyph origin

[edit]

Historical forms of the character先
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled inHan)	Liushutong (compiled inMing)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Oracle bone script j20804 j20805 j20806 j20807 j20808 j20809 j20810 j20811 j20812 j20813 j20814 j20815 j20816 j20817 j20818 j20819 j20820 j20821 j20822 j20823 j20824 j20825 j20826 j20827 j20828 j20829 j20830 j20831 j20832 j20833 j20834 j20835 j20836 j20837 j20838 j20839 j20840 j20841 j20842 j20843 j20844 j20845 j20846 j20847 j20848 j20849 j20850 j20851 j20852 j20853 j20854 j20855 j20856 j20857 j20858 j20859 j20860 j20861 j20862 j20863 j20864 j20865 j20866 j20867 j20868 j20869 j20870 j20871 j20872 j20873 j20874 j20875 j20876 j20877 j20878 j20879 j20880 j20881 j20882 j20883 j20884 j20885 j20886 j20887 j20888 j20889 j20890 j20891 j20892 j20893 j20894 Bronze inscriptions b13509 b13510 b13511 b13512 b13513 b13514 b13515 b13516 b13517 b13518 b13519 b13520 b13521 b13522 b13523 b13524 b13525 b13526 b13527 b13528 b13529 b13530 b13531 b13532 b13533 b13534 b13535 b13536 b13537 b13538 b13539 b13540 Small seal script s06218 Transcribed ancient scripts L31820 L31821 L31822 L31823 L31824 L31825 L06548 L06549 L06550 L06551 L06552 L06553 L06541 L06542 L06543 L06544 L06545 L06546 L06547 L06554 L06555
References: Mostly from Richard Sears'Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the samephonetic series (先)(Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
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

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 止(“foot”) + 儿(“person”) – to go forward.

Etymology

[edit]

Sino-Tibetan. Cognate withTibetanབསེལ(bsel,“to protect (on a dangerous path); to escort”),Chepangस्‍यालःसा(syalʔ‑,“to lead; to go or do first; to open way”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation 1

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Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin):xiān (xian¹)
(Zhuyin):ㄒㄧㄢ
(Chengdu,Sichuanese Pinyin):xian¹
(Xi'an,Guanzhong Pinyin):xiǎn
(Nanjing,Nanjing Pinyin):sièn
(Dungan,Cyrillic andWiktionary):щян (xi͡an, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong,Jyutping):sin¹
(Dongguan,Jyutping++):sin¹
(Taishan,Wiktionary):lhen¹
Gan(Wiktionary):xien¹
Hakka
(Sixian,PFS):siên / sîn
(Hailu,HRS):sien^ˋ / sen^ˋ / sin^ˋ
(Meixian,Guangdong):xiên¹
Jin(Wiktionary):xie¹
Northern Min(KCR):síng / sáing
Eastern Min(BUC):sĕng / siĕng
Puxian Min(Pouseng Ping'ing):se¹ / sae¹ / sinn¹ / senn¹ / seng¹
Southern Min
(Hokkien,POJ):seng /suiⁿ /sin /sian
(Teochew,Peng'im):soin¹ / sain¹ / sing¹
(Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin):sai¹ / xieng¹
Southern Pinghua(Nanning,Jyutping++):slin¹
Wu(Northern,Wugniu):¹shi /¹sie /¹si /¹shie /¹shien
Xiang(Changsha,Wiktionary):sienn¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin:xiān
  - Zhuyin:ㄒㄧㄢ
  - Tongyong Pinyin:sian
  - Wade–Giles:hsien¹
  - Yale:syān
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh:shian
  - Palladius:сянь(sjanʹ)
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin:xian¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz:xian
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕiɛn⁵⁵/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin:xiǎn
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕiã²¹/
- (Nanjing)
  - Nanjing Pinyin:sièn
  - Nanjing Pinyin (numbered):sien¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/siẽ³¹/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic andWiktionary:щян (xi͡an, I)
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕiæ̃²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese,Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping:sin¹
  - Yale:sīn
  - Cantonese Pinyin:sin¹
  - Guangdong Romanization:xin¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/siːn⁵⁵/
- (Dongguan,Guancheng)
  - Jyutping++:sin¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/sin²¹³/
- (Taishanese,Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary:lhen¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬen³³/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary:xien¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕiɛn⁴²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl.Miaoli andNeipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ:siên / sîn
  - Hakka Romanization System:xien^ˊ / xin^ˊ
  - Hagfa Pinyim:xian¹ / xin¹
  - SinologicalIPA:/si̯en²⁴/, /sin²⁴/
- (Hailu, incl.Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System:sien^ˋ / sen^ˋ / sin^ˋ
  - SinologicalIPA:/sien⁵³/, /sen⁵³/, /sin⁵³/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong:xiên¹
  - SinologicalIPA:/ɕiɛn⁴⁴/

Note:

Sixian:
- sîn - in先生 (sîn-sâng).

Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary:xie¹
  - SinologicalIPA (old-style):/ɕie¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized:síng / sáing
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/siŋ⁵⁴/, /saiŋ⁵⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê:sĕng / siĕng
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/sɛiŋ⁵⁵/, /sieŋ⁵⁵/

Note:

sĕng - vernacular;
siĕng - literary.

Puxian Min
- (Putian,Nanri)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:se¹
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍:sa̤ⁿ
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬe⁵³³/
- (Jiangkou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:sae¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬɛ⁵³³/
- (Xianyou,Fengting)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:sinn¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬĩ⁵⁴⁴/
- (Youyang)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:senn¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/θẽ⁵⁴⁴/
- (Putian,Jiangkou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:seng¹
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍:seng
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬɛŋ⁵³³/
- (Nanri)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:seng¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬe̞ŋ⁵³³/
- (Xianyou,Fengting)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:seng¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬɛŋ⁵⁴⁴/
- (Youyang)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:seng¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/θɛŋ⁵⁴⁴/

Note:

se1/sae1/sinn1/senn1 - vernacular;
seng1 - literary.

Southern Min
- (Hokkien:Xiamen,Zhangzhou,GeneralTaiwanese,Singapore)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:seng
  - Tâi-lô:sing
  - Phofsit Daibuun:sefng
  - IPA (Xiamen,Zhangzhou,Taipei,Kaohsiung):/siɪŋ⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Singapore):/seŋ⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien:Quanzhou,Philippines)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:suiⁿ
  - Tâi-lô:suinn
  - Phofsit Daibuun:svuy
  - IPA (Quanzhou,Philippines):/suĩ³³/
- (Hokkien:Zhangzhou,Taichung,Yilan)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:sin
  - Tâi-lô:sin
  - Phofsit Daibuun:syn
  - IPA (Zhangzhou,Yilan):/sin⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien:Xiamen,Quanzhou,Zhangzhou,GeneralTaiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:sian
  - Tâi-lô:sian
  - Phofsit Daibuun:siefn
  - IPA (Xiamen,Zhangzhou,Taipei,Kaohsiung):/siɛn⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou):/siɛn³³/

Note:

seng/suiⁿ - vernacular;
sin - vernacular (limited, e.g.先生);
sian - literary.

(Teochew)
- Peng'im:soin¹ / sain¹ / sing¹
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like:soiⁿ / saiⁿ / sing
- SinologicalIPA^(key):/sõĩ³³/, /sãĩ³³/, /siŋ³³/

Note:

soin1/sain1 - vernacular (sain1 - Chaoyang, Jieyang);
sing1 - literary.

(Leizhou)
- Leizhou Pinyin:sai¹ / xieng¹
- SinologicalIPA:/sai³⁵/, /sieŋ³⁵/

Note:

sai1 - vernacular;
xieng1 - literary.

Southern Pinghua
- (Nanning Pinghua,Tingzi)
  - Jyutping++:slin¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬin⁵³/
Wu
- (Northern:Shanghai,Ningbo)
  - Wugniu:¹shi
  - MiniDict:shi^平
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai):¹xi
  - SinologicalIPA (Shanghai):/ɕi⁵³/
  - SinologicalIPA (Ningbo):/ɕi⁵²/
- (Northern:Jiading,Suzhou,Kunshan,Changzhou)
  - Wugniu:¹sie
  - MiniDict:sie^平
  - SinologicalIPA (Jiading):/sɪ⁵³/
  - SinologicalIPA (Suzhou):/sɪ⁴⁴/
  - SinologicalIPA (Kunshan):/sɪ⁵⁵/
  - SinologicalIPA (Changzhou):/sɪ⁵⁵/
- (Northern:Songjiang,Chuansha)
  - Wugniu:¹si
  - SinologicalIPA (Songjiang):/si⁵³/
  - SinologicalIPA (Chuansha):/si⁵³/
- (Northern:Chongming,Jiaxing)
  - Wugniu:¹shie
  - MiniDict:shie^平
  - SinologicalIPA (Chongming):/ɕie⁵⁵/
  - SinologicalIPA (Jiaxing):/ɕie⁵³/
- (Northern:Hangzhou,Shaoxing,Zhoushan)
  - Wugniu:¹shien
  - MiniDict:shien^平
  - SinologicalIPA (Hangzhou):/ɕiẽ̞³³⁴/
  - SinologicalIPA (Shaoxing):/ɕiẽ⁵²/
  - SinologicalIPA (Zhoushan):/ɕĩ⁵³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary:sienn¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key) (old-style):/si̯ẽ³³/
  - SinologicalIPA^(key) (new-style):/ɕi̯ẽ³³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 先
Mandarin	Beijing	/ɕian⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/ɕian⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/t͡ɕʰian²¹/ /ɕian²¹/
	Jinan	/ɕiã²¹³/
	Qingdao	/siã²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/sian²⁴/
	Xi'an	/ɕiã²¹/
	Xining	/ɕiã⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ɕian⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/ɕiɛ̃n³¹/
	Ürümqi	/ɕian⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/ɕiɛn⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/ɕian⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/ɕian⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/ɕiɛ̃⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/sien³¹/
	Hefei	/ɕiĩ²¹/ /t͡ɕʰiĩ²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ɕie¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ɕie̞¹³/
	Hohhot	/ɕie³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɕi⁵³/
	Suzhou	/siɪ⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/ɕiẽ̞³³/
	Wenzhou	/ɕi³³/
Hui	Shexian	/se³¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/siɛ¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/siẽ³³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/siẽ³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/ɕiɛn⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/sian⁴⁴/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/sien²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/sin⁵³/
	Nanning	/ɬin⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/sin⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/sian⁵⁵/ /siŋ⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/sɛiŋ⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/siŋ⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/siŋ³³/ /sõi³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/sin²³/ /ti²³/ /tai²³/

Middle Chinese:sen

Rime
Character	先
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	先 (85)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	蘇前切
Baxter	sen
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/sen/
Pan Wuyun	/sen/
Shao Rongfen	/sɛn/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/sɛn/
Li Rong	/sen/
Wang Li	/sien/
Bernhard Karlgren	/sien/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xiān
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sin¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart):/*sˤər/
(Zhengzhang):/*sɯːn/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	先
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xiān
Middle Chinese	‹ sen ›
Old Chinese	/*sˁər/
English	first
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	先
Reading #	1/2
No.	13458
Phonetic component	先
Rime group	文
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	先
Old Chinese	/*sɯːn/

Definitions

[edit]

先

first;ahead of time;before;beforehand
我要先去洗手間。[MSC,trad.]
我要先去洗手间。[MSC,simp.]
Wǒ yàoxiān qù xǐshǒujiān.[Pinyin]
I need to go to the bathroomfirst.
他比我先畢業。／他比我先毕业。 ― Tā bǐ wǒxiān bìyè. ― He graduatedearlier than me.
我要去廁所先。[Cantonese,trad.]
我要去厕所先。[Cantonese,simp.]
ngo⁵ jiu³ heoi³ ci³ so²sin¹.[Jyutping]
I need to go to the bathroomfirst.
唔好去住先。[Cantonese,trad. andsimp.]
m⁴ hou² heoi³ zyu⁶sin¹.[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 ofutmost importance
short for先生 (xiānshēng)
short for先手 (xiānshǒu)
(Cantonese)onlythen
佢瞓到而家先瞓醒覺。[Cantonese,trad.]
佢𰥛到而家先𰥛醒觉。[Cantonese,simp.]
keoi⁵ fan³ dou³ ji⁴ gaa¹sin¹ fan³ seng² gaau³.[Jyutping]
He slept so long that he only woke up just now.
- 2020, “南昌街王子 [The Prince Near You]”,黃偉文 [Wyman Wong] (lyrics)‎^[2]performed by薛凱琪 [Fiona Sit]:
  這先叫成長嗎[Literary Cantonese,trad.]
  这先叫成长吗[Literary Cantonese,simp.]
  ze²sin¹ giu³ sing⁴ zoeng² maa³[Jyutping]
  Only then would this be called growing?
(Cantonese)first off
你買咗未先？[Cantonese,trad.]
你买咗未先？[Cantonese,simp.]
nei⁵ maai⁵ zo² mei⁶sin¹?[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.]
我先唔同佢讲。[Cantonese,simp.]
ngo⁵sin¹ 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.
呢啲先係唱歌。[Cantonese,trad.]
呢啲先系唱歌。[Cantonese,simp.]
ni¹ di¹sin¹ hai⁶ coeng³ go¹.[Jyutping]
This istrue singing.
你先食一碗飯點會夠！[Cantonese,trad.]
你先食一碗饭点会够！[Cantonese,simp.]
nei⁵sin¹ sik⁶ jat¹ wun² faan⁶ dim² wui⁵ gau³![Jyutping]
How can you be full eating only one bowl of rice?
asurname

Usage notes

[edit]

(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

[edit]

(first):首先 (shǒuxiān),最先 (zuìxiān),第一 (dì-yī)
(only then):

Dialectal synonyms of才 (“only after; only then; not ... until”)[map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal(Written Standard Chinese)		才₂,再,方,始,方才
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	才₂
Northeastern Mandarin	Singapore	才₂
Cantonese	Guangzhou	先,至,先至
Cantonese	Hong Kong	先,至,先至
Hakka	Meixian	正
Southern Min	Xiamen	才₃
	Quanzhou	才₃
	Zhangzhou	才₃
	Singapore(Hokkien)	才₃
	Manila(Hokkien)	才₃
	Shantou	正
	Singapore(Teochew)	正
Wu	Shanghai	再,才₂
Wu	Suzhou	再
Xiang	Changsha	才至

References

[edit]

(Min Nan)“先”, in教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien),Ministry of Education, R.O.C.,2025.

Pronunciation 2

[edit]

Mandarin
(Pinyin):xiān,xiàn
(Zhuyin):ㄒㄧㄢ, ㄒㄧㄢˋ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese,Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin:xiān
  - Zhuyin:ㄒㄧㄢ
  - Tongyong Pinyin:sian
  - Wade–Giles:hsien¹
  - Yale:syān
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh:shian
  - Palladius:сянь(sjanʹ)
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese,Taiwan)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin:xiàn
  - Zhuyin:ㄒㄧㄢˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin:siàn
  - Wade–Giles:hsien⁴
  - Yale:syàn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh:shiann
  - Palladius:сянь(sjanʹ)
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/

Middle Chinese:senH

Rime
Character	先
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	先 (85)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	蘇佃切
Baxter	senH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/sen^H/
Pan Wuyun	/sen^H/
Shao Rongfen	/sɛn^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/sɛn^H/
Li Rong	/sen^H/
Wang Li	/sien^H/
Bernhard Karlgren	/sien^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xiàn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sin³

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart):/*sˤər-s/
(Zhengzhang):/*sɯːns/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	先
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xiàn
Middle Chinese	‹ sen^H ›
Old Chinese	/*sˁər-s/
English	go first
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	先
Reading #	2/2
No.	13467
Phonetic component	先
Rime group	文
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	霰
Old Chinese	/*sɯːns/

Definitions

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先(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese)

toguide; toinitiate
to beearlier
tosurpass
originally
tointroduce
term of address for one's elder brother's wife

Pronunciation 3

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Mandarin
(Pinyin):xiǎn (xian³)
(Zhuyin):ㄒㄧㄢˇ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin:xiǎn
  - Zhuyin:ㄒㄧㄢˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin:siǎn
  - Wade–Giles:hsien³
  - Yale:syǎn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh:shean
  - Palladius:сянь(sjanʹ)
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

Definitions

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先

only used in先馬／先马

Compounds

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References

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“先”, in漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[3],香港中文大學 (theChinese University of Hong Kong),2014–
李如龙[Li, Ru-long];刘福铸[Liu, Fu-zhu];吴华英[Wu, Hua-ying];黄国城[Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019), “先”, in莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min),Xiamen University Press,→ISBN, page218.

Japanese

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Kanji

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See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 先

先

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

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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

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Compounds

一(ひと)先(まず)(hitomazu),一(ひと)先(ま)ず(hitomazu)
先(ま)ず無(な)い(mazunai)

Etymology 1

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Kanji in this term
先
さき Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
前尖

FromOld Japanese,^[1]^[2] fromProto-Japonic *saki. Cognate with崎(さき)(saki,“peninsula,cape”).^[3]

Pronunciation

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(Tokyo)さき[sàkí] (Heiban – [0])^[2]^[4]^[5]
(Tokyo)さき[sáꜜkì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2] (only for the “before” senses)
IPA^(key): [sa̠kʲi]

Noun

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先(さき)• (saki)

before,previous
Synonym:先に(saki ni,adverb)
どっちが先(さき)か。
Dotchi gasaki ka.
Which one wasfirst?
end,tip
矢(や)の先(さき)
ya nosaki
tip of an arrow
earlier, thepast
afterwards, thefuture
thedestination of a motion or action
送信(そうしん)先(さき)
sōshin-saki
recipient
バイト先(さき)
baito-saki
workplace (of a part-time job)
行(ゆ)き先(さき)不明(ふめい)
yuki-saki fumei
whereabouts unknown
お帰(かえ)り先(さき)
o-kaeri-saki
place of return
sequel
ahead, infront
その先(さき)は森(もり)の奥(おく)。
Sonosaki wa mori no oku.
What lies beyond there is the heart of the forest.

Derived terms

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Derived terms

先(さき)金(がね)(sakigane)
先(さき)頃(ごろ)(sakigoro)
先(さき)々(ざき)(sakizaki),先(さき)先(ざき)(sakizaki)
先(さき)隣(どなり)(sakidonari)
先(さき)太(ぶと)(sakibuto)
先(さき)棒(ぼう)(sakibō)
先(さき)程(ほど)(sakihodo)
先(さき)物(もの)(sakimono)
先(さき)安(やす)(sakiyasu)
宛(あて)先(さき)(atesaki)
後(あと)先(さき)(atosaki)
御(お)先(さき)(osaki),お先(さき)(osaki)
肩(かた)先(さき)(katasaki)
口(くち)先(さき)(kuchisaki)
剣(けん)先(さき)(kensaki)
現(げん)先(さき)(gensaki)
幸(さい)先(さき)(saisaki)
潮(しお)先(さき)(shiosaki)
舌(した)先(さき)(shitasaki)
旅(たび)先(さき)(tabisaki)
筒(つつ)先(さき)(tsutsusaki)
爪(つめ)先(さき)(tsumesaki)
手(て)先(さき)(tesaki)
出(で)先(さき)(desaki)
突(とっ)先(さき)(tossaki)
庭(にわ)先(さき)(niwasaki)
軒(のき)先(さき)(nokisaki)
縁(のき)先(さき)(nokisaki)
刃(は)先(さき)(hasaki)
鼻(はな)先(さき)(hanasaki)
春(はる)先(さき)(harusaki)
筆(ふで)先(さき)(fudesaki)
舳(へ)先(さき)(hesaki)
火(ほ)先(さき)(hosaki)
穂(ほ)先(さき)(hosaki)
矛(ほこ)先(さき)(hokosaki)
水(みず)先(さき)(mizusaki)
店(みせ)先(さき)(misesaki)
胸(むな)先(さき)(munasaki)
目(め)先(さき)(mesaki)
矢(や)先(さき)(yasaki)
槍(やり)先(さき)(yarisaki)
指(ゆび)先(さき)(yubisaki)
先(さき)売(う)り(sakiuri)
先(さき)送(おく)り(sakiokuri)
先(さき)買(が)い(sakigai)
先(さき)借(が)り(sakigari)
先(さき)立(だ)つ(sakidatsu)
先(さき)立(だ)てる(sakidateru)
先(さき)付(づ)け(sakizuke)
先(さき)取(ど)り(sakidori)
先(さき)走(ばし)る(sakibashiru)
先(さき)払(ばら)い(sakibarai)
先(さき)んじる(sakinjiru)
先(さき)んずる(sakinzuru)
行(い)き先(さき)(ikisaki)
生(お)い先(さき)(oisaki)
老(お)い先(さき)(oisaki)
送(おく)り先(さき)(okurisaki)
切(き)っ先(さき)(kissaki)
此(こ)の先(さき)(konosaki)
使(つか)い先(さき)(tsukaisaki)
勤(つと)め先(さき)(tsutomesaki)
嫁(とつ)ぎ先(さき)(totsugisaki)
届(とど)け先(さき)(todokesaki)
ペン先(さき)(pensaki)
真(ま)っ先(さき)(massaki)
移(い)転(てん)先(さき)(itensaki)
一(いっ)寸(すん)先(さき)(issunsaki)
勤(きん)務(む)先(さき)(kinmusaki)
下(げ)馬(ば)先(さき)(gebasaki)
玄(げん)関(かん)先(さき)(genkansaki)
小(こ)手(て)先(さき)(kotesaki)
購(こう)入(にゅう)先(さき)(kōnyūsaki)
指(し)示(じ)先(さき)(shijisaki)
就(しゅう)職(そく)先(さき)(shūsokusaki)
宿(しゅく)泊(はく)先(さき)(shukuhakusaki)
照(しょう)会(かい)先(さき)(shōkaisaki)
送(そう)付(ふ)先(さき)(sōfusaki)
太(た)刀(ち)先(さき)(tachisaki)
注(ちゅう)文(もん)先(さき)(chūmonsaki)
手(て)羽(ば)先(さき)(tebasaki)
転(てん)居(い)先(さき)(ten'isaki)
転(てん)送(そう)先(さき)(tensōsaki)
伝(でん)送(そう)先(さき)(densōsaki)
転(てん)任(にん)先(さき)(tenninsaki)
得(とく)意(い)先(さき)(tokuisaki)
取(とり)引(ひき)先(さき)(torihikisaki)
刷(は)毛(け)先(さき)(hakesaki)
配(はい)達(たつ)先(さき)(haitatsusaki)
一(ひと)足(あし)先(さき)(hitoashisaki)
奉(ほう)公(こう)先(さき)(hōkōsaki)
旅(りょ)行(こう)先(さき)(ryokōsaki)
連(れん)絡(らく)先(さき)(renrakusaki)
仕(し)入(い)れ先(さき)(shīresaki)
差(さ)し出(だ)し先(さき)(sashidashisaki)
立(た)ち回(まわ)り先(さき)(tachimawarisaki)
取(と)り引(ひ)き先(さき)(torihikisaki)
引(ひ)っ越(こ)し先(さき)(hikkoshisaki)
問(と)い合(あ)わせ先(さき)(toiawasesaki)

Idioms

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先(さき)を越(こ)す(sakiokosu)

Etymology 2

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Kanji in this term
先
さき > さっき Grade: 1
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of先 – see the following entry.

【さっき】

[adverb](colloquial)synonym of先ほど(sakihodo)

[adverb] a little timeago

[adverb] some timeago

[adverb]just now

(This term,先, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 3

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Kanji in this term
先
せん Grade: 1
on'yomi

FromMiddle Chinese先 (MC sen|senH).

Pronunciation

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(Tokyo)せん[séꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
IPA^(key): [sẽ̞ɴ]

Noun

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先(せん)• (sen)

before,previous

Derived terms

[edit]

Derived terms

先(せん)鋭(えい)(sen'ei)
先(せん)回(かい)(senkai)
先(せん)覚(かく)(senkaku)
先(せん)学(がく)(sengaku)
先(せん)議(ぎ)(sengi)
先(せん)客(きゃく)(senkyaku)
先(せん)駆(く)(senku)
先(せん)君(くん)(senkun)
先(せん)決(けつ)(senketsu)
先(せん)月(げつ)(sengetsu)
先(せん)見(けん)(senken)
先(せん)賢(けん)(senken)
先(せん)遣(けん)(senken)
先(せん)古(こ)(senko)
先(せん)口(こう)(senkō)
先(せん)攻(こう)(senkō)
先(せん)考(こう)(senkō)
先(せん)行(こう)(senkō)
先(せん)高(こう)(senkō)
先(せん)刻(こく)(senkoku)
先(せん)妻(さい)(sensai)
先(せん)細(さい)(sensai)
先(せん)在(ざい)(senzai)
先(せん)様(さま)(sensama)
先(せん)山(ざん)(senzan)
先(せん)史(し)(senshi)
先(せん)師(し)(senshi)
先(せん)日(じつ)(senjitsu)
先(せん)主(しゅ)(senshu)
先(せん)取(しゅ)(senshu)
先(せん)蹴(しゅう)(senshū)
先(せん)週(しゅう)(senshū)
先(せん)住(じゅう)(senjū)
先(せん)述(じゅつ)(senjutsu)
先(せん)勝(しょう)(senshō)
先(せん)進(しん)(senshin)
先(せん)人(じん)(senjin)
先(せん)陣(じん)(senjin)
先(せん)制(せい)(sensei)
先(せん)生(せい)(sensei)
先(せん)聖(せい)(sensei)
先(せん)祖(ぞ)(senzo)
先(せん)代(だい)(sendai)
先(せん)達(だつ)(sendatsu)
先(せん)端(たん)(sentan)
先(せん)知(ち)(senchi)
先(せん)着(ちゃく)(senchaku)
先(せん)手(て)(sente)
先(せん)哲(てつ)(sentetsu)
先(せん)天(てん)(senten)
先(せん)登(とう)(sentō),先(せん)頭(とう)(sentō)
先(せん)途(ど)(sendo)
先(せん)度(ど)(sendo)
先(せん)塔(とう)(sentō)
先(せん)投(とう)(sentō)
先(せん)導(どう)(sendō)
先(せん)入(にゅ)(sennyu)
先(せん)任(にん)(sennin)
先(せん)年(ねん)(sennen)
先(せん)王(のう)(sennō)
先(せん)皇(のう)(sennō)
先(せん)帝(のう)(sennō)
先(せん)輩(ぱい)(senpai)
先(せん)発(ぱつ)(senpatsu)
先(せん)般(ぱん)(senpan)
先(せん)番(ばん)(senban)
先(せん)非(ぴ)(senpi)
先(せん)妣(ぴ)(senpi)
先(せん)夫(ぷ)(senpu)
先(せん)婦(ぷ)(senpu)
先(せん)父(ぷ)(senpu)
先(せん)負(ぶ)(senbu)
先(せん)兵(ぺい)(senpei)
先(せん)便(べん)(senben)
先(せん)鞭(べん)(senben)
先(せん)方(ぽう)(senpō)
先(せん)鋒(ぽう)(senpō)
先(せん)務(む)(senmu)
先(せん)夜(や)(sen'ya)
先(せん)役(やく)(sen'yaku)
先(せん)約(やく)(sen'yaku)
先(せん)例(れい)(senrei)
機(き)先(せん)(kisen)
祖(そ)先(せん)(sosen)
帥(そっ)先(せん)(sossen),卒(そっ)先(せん)(sossen),率(そっ)先(せん)(sossen)
優(ゆう)先(せん)(yūsen)
先(せん)達(だっ)て(sendatte),先(せん)だって(sendatte)
先(せん)駆(く)者(しゃ)(senkusha)
先(せん)験(けん)的(てき)(senkenteki)
先(せん)伝(でん)言(ごん)(sendengon,“herald”)
鋭(えい)先(せん)形(けい)(eisenkei)

References

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^Omodaka, Hisataka (1967),時代別国語大辞典上代編 [The dictionary of historical Japanese: Old Japanese] (in Japanese),Tōkyō:Sanseidō,→ISBN, page322
↑^2.0^2.1^2.2“さき【先・前】”, in日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), 2nd edition,Tokyo:Shogakukan,2000-2002, released online 2007,→ISBN, concise edition entry availablehere
^Shōgaku Tosho (1988),国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese),Tōkyō:Shogakukan,→ISBN
^Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006),大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition,Tokyo:Sanseidō,→ISBN
^NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998),NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese),Tokyo:NHK Publishing, Inc.,→ISBN