先 Stroke Order

Animated Stroke Order of 先

Stroke Order Diagrams for 先

Step-by-Step Handwriting Guide for 先

Standard stroke order for the Chinese character 先

Learn to Write Chinese Characters with Video Tutorials

Watch the video of writing the Chinese character "先", learn the correct stroke order (笔顺) of the character "先", and master the standard way of writing the character "先".

Free Printable Handwriting Practice with Stroke Order: 先

Printable Writing Practice Worksheet of "先" in Portrait Orientation (Tian Zi Ge)

Printable Handwriting Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 先 in Portrait Orientation (Tian Zi Ge)

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Printable Writing Practice Worksheet of "先" in Landscape Orientation (Tian Zi Ge)

Printable Handwriting Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 先 in Landscape Orientation (Tian Zi Ge)

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Information of 先

Pinyin xiān

Radical

儿

Strokes

6 strokes

Usage

★★★★★

Definition

early / prior / former / in advance / first

先 [xiān] 1. Time is in front, the order is in front, opposite to "后": ~前. ~期. 原~. ~驱. ~河 (In ancient China, emperors would first offer rituals to the Yellow River before the sea, with the river being the source of the sea, referred to the things prompted in advance). ~觉 (jué). ~见之明. ~发制人. - Time is in front, the order is in front, opposite to "后". 2. An earlier generation or several generations of a family or nation: ~人. ~世 (ancestors). ~民. - An earlier generation or several generations of a family or nation. 3. A respectful term for deceased persons: ~祖. ~父. ~哲 (referring to deceased talented and virtuous thinkers). ~烈. ~贤. - A respectful term for deceased persons. 4. Surname. - Surname. 5. [Verb] (original meaning): to advance, to walk in front. - [动] (original meaning): advance, walk in front. 6. Character formation: ideogram. Based on oracle bone script, the top part is "止" (foot), and the bottom is "人" (person), meaning the foot has walked in front of the person. - [造字法]: ideogram. 7. Synonyms: 1. Same as original meaning [En.]: advance. 2. To respect; to attach importance to [En.]: attach importance to. 3. To initiate; to begin [En.]: initiate; begin. 8. [Noun] 1. At first; previously [En.]: first. 2. Ancestors; ancestry [En.]: ancestry; ancestors. 3. Forerunner; pioneer [En.]: forerunner; pioneer. 4. Surname. 9. [Adjective] 1. Front, time or order is in front [En.]: earlier; before. 2. Ancient; previous, predecessor [En.]: old; ancient. 3. Chief; fundamental [En.]: chief; fundamental. 4. Above [En.]: super. 5. Deceased. A respectful term for the dead [En.]: the deceased. 10. [Adverb] Refers to events or actions that happen earlier. - Earlier; before. 11. Not exceeding the limits in the manner of advancing [En.]: Not to go beyond due precedence. - 不当超前而超前. 12. To lead, to guide [En.]: to lead; to guide. - 领导、率导.

先哲 xiān zhé

distinguished precursor / famous thinker of antiquity

身先士卒 shēn xiān shì zú

to fight at the head of one's troops / (fig.) to take the lead

未卜先知 wèi bǔ xiān zhī

predictable / sth one can predict without being a clairvoyant

先帝 xiān dì

Emperor Xian

先後 xiān hòu

early or late / priority / in succession / one after another

争先恐后 zhēng xiān kǒng hòu

striving to be first and fearing to be last (idiom); outdoing one another

抢先 qiǎng xiān

to rush (to do sth urgent) / to try to be the first / to forestall

攘外必先安内 rǎng wài bì xiān ān nèi

You must first settle inside

捷足先登 jié zú xiān dēng

the quick-footed climb up first (idiom) / the early bird catches the worm / first come, first served

擒贼先擒王 qín zéi xiān qín wáng

destroy the leader and the gang will collapse

先斩后奏 xiān zhǎn hòu zòu

first decapitate then present your trophy (idiom); act first, report later

先兆 xiān zhào

omen

首先 shǒu xiān

first (of all) / in the first place

先后 xiān hòu

early or late / priority / in succession / one after another

先进 xiān jìn

advanced (technology) / to advance

先前 xiān qián

before / previously

领先 lǐng xiān

to lead / to be in front

先锋 xiān fēng

vanguard / pioneer / avant-garde

原先 yuán xiān

originally / original / former

先是 xiān shì

former / original

先行 xiān xíng

to precede others / in advance

最先 zuì xiān

(the) very first

预先 yù xiān

beforehand / in advance

率先 shuài xiān

to take the lead / to show initiative

当先 dāng xiān

in the van / in the front ranks / at the head

先驱 xiān qū

pioneer

先天 xiān tiān

inborn / innate / natural

先秦 xiān Qín

pre-Qin, Chinese history up to the foundation of the Qin imperial dynasty in 221 BC

先烈 xiān liè

martyr

先例 xiān lì

antecedent / precedent