争先恐后

爭先恐後

zhēngxiān-kǒnghòu

idiom HSK 7-9 #31,693

Meanings

1 to strive to be first and fear being last
2 to vie with each other
3 eagerly; scrambling to be first

Characters

Examples

同学们争先恐后地回答老师的问题。

Tóngxué men zhēngxiānkǒnghòu de huídá lǎoshī de wèntí.

The students scrambled to answer the teacher's question.

大家争先恐后地报名参加比赛。

Dàjiā zhēngxiānkǒnghòu de bàomíng cānjiā bǐsài.

Everyone rushed to sign up for the competition.

Tips

memory

Strive (争) to be first (先), afraid (恐) of being last (后) — picture a crowd rushing to get through a door.

Stroke Order

争 zhēng

先 xiān

恐 kǒng

后 hòu