先

xiān

adverb HSK 1 #242

Meanings

1 first
2 beforehand
3 earlier

Characters

first; before; earlier

Examples

你先走吧。

Nǐ xiān zǒu ba.

You go first.

我先吃饭，再做作业。

Wǒ xiān chīfàn, zài zuò zuòyè.

I'll eat first, then do homework.

先听我说。

Xiān tīng wǒ shuō.

Listen to me first.

Tips

grammar

先...再... (first...then...) and 先...然后... (first...after that...) are key sequencing patterns: 我先洗手，再吃饭 'I'll wash my hands first, then eat.'

Stroke Order

先 xiān