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

HSK 3

同学们争先恐后地回答老师的问题。

Tóngxué men zhēngxiān-kǒnghòu de huídá lǎoshī de wèntí.

The students scrambled to answer the teacher's question.

HSK 4

大家争先恐后地报名参加比赛。

Dàjiā zhēngxiān-kǒnghòu 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