先人

xiānrén

noun #25,637

Meanings

1 ancestors
2 forefathers
3 one's late father (formal)

Characters

first; earlier; late (deceased)

Examples

HSK 6

先人的智慧至今仍有价值。

Xiānrén de zhìhuì zhìjīn réng yǒu jiàzhí.

The wisdom of our forefathers still holds value today.

HSK 7-9

我们要铭记先人的教诲。

Wǒmen yào míngjì xiānrén de jiàohuì.

We must keep in mind the teachings of our ancestors.

HSK 7-9

清明节是祭奠先人的传统节日。

Qīngmíngjié shì jìdiàn xiānrén de chuántǒng jiérì.

Qingming Festival is a traditional holiday for commemorating one's ancestors.

Tips

usage

先人 can mean ancestors in general or specifically one's late father in classical/formal usage. In everyday modern Chinese, 祖先 is more common for ancestors.

Stroke Order

先 xiān

人 rén