Home
CantoDict HomeCantoDict Settings

Remove Adverts and gain lots of extra features
What is this page showing me?

  sin1   jyutping
  xian1   pinyin
[1] [n] first; lead; initiative | [ant]
[2] [adv] before; early on; in advance
[3] [adv] temporarily; for the time being; for now
[4] [n] elder generation; ancestor; forefather
[5] [adj] leading; pioneering; initiating
[6] [adj] preceding; early; antecedent
[7] [] [adv] only then/after (shortened for 先至)

nounAdditional PoS: adjectiveadverb
Stroke count: 6
Level: 1
Radical: (#10)

This character is used in both Cantonese and Mandarin/Standard written Chinese.

This word has been viewed 24146 times since 30th Oct 2012, was added by sheik on 18th Mar 2007 21:22 and last edited on 24th Jun 2013 15:42

Output this character as a high resolution image
Add to vocab list:

Sponsors: One-on-One Online Chinese Tutoring | Learn Chinese | Spanish Language
Chinese Language | Learn Chinese in China | Learn Mandarin in China | Chinese School | Cantonese lessons in London

detail  on3 si4 gaan3 sin1 hau6  an4 shi2 jian4 xian1 hou4 = chronological
detail  sin1 saang1  xian1 sheng5 = mister, Mr.; husband; teacher
detail  sin1 jan4  xian1 ren2 = forefathers
detail  sin1 fu1  xian1 fu1 = my late husband; [華] 亡夫
detail  tau4 sin1   = just now; a moment ago
detail  sin1 zi3   = not until; only then
detail  hai6 gam2 sin1   = that's it for now; that's all for now
detail  zou2 sin1  zao3 xian1 = earlier; previously
detail  sau2 sin1  shou3 xian1 = firstly
detail  zou2 sin1  zu3 xian1 = ancestors
See all 109 compounds (CantoDict reports 110 compounds in total, but some may be Common Formations)

Showing 10 of 47 examples containing 先
detail audio 先生後日
Mr. Wong will be coming back the day after tomorrow.
detail audio 先生請問幾位
Sir, how many people?
detail audio 食飯洗手
One should wash one's hands before having a meal.
detail audio
I have to leave earlier.
detail 食完先至
I'll have dinner first and then sort it out!
[Lit. eat-finish-rice only-then do. Std. Chinese: 吃完飯再計算吧]
detail 蘋果鐘意先至
I like to peel apples before eating them.
[Lit. apples, I like peel [perfective zo2] skin only-then eat.]
detail 先生爸爸好朋友
Mr. Wong is a good friend of my father.
detail audio 首先圖書館然後返屋企
First go to the library, then afterwards go home.
detail audio 先生聽日唔使返學
The teacher said we don't need to attend class tomorrow.
detail 究竟定係  ?! 
Actually, does chicken come first or egg first?
Show all 47 examples

Legend
: This term is used in Mandarin/Standard written Chinese, not Cantonese.  
: This term is used in Cantonese, not Mandarin/Standard written Chinese.
No icon: This term is used in both Cantonese and Mandarin/Standard written Chinese.
This page shows, from top to bottom:
Script executed in 0.072732 secs
Rows returned from database=35
Donate to CantoDict
CantoDict v1.4.2 is a collaborative Chinese Dictionary project started in November 2003. Entries are added and mistakes corrected by a team of kind volunteers from around the world.
Copyright Adam Sheik 2003-2024.