最先

zuìxiān
adverb #7,635

Meanings

  1. 1 first (of all)
  2. 2 earliest
  3. 3 the very first

Examples

HSK 2
Shéi zuìxiān fāxiàn le zhège wèntí?
Who first discovered this problem?
HSK 3
Zuìxiān zhīdào xiāoxi de rén shì tā.
He was the first person to learn the news.
HSK 5
Tā zuìxiān dàodá le zhōngdiǎn.
She was the first to reach the finish line.

Tips

grammar
最先 emphasizes being the absolute first. Compare with (first/before) which is less emphatic and 首先 which means 'first of all' in listing order.

Stroke Order

zuì
xiān