原先

yuánxiān
adverb HSK 5 #7,627

Meanings

  1. 1 originally
  2. 2 formerly
  3. 3 at first

Examples

HSK 2
Yuánxiān de jìhuà yǐjīng gǎibiàn le.
The original plan has already changed.
HSK 3
Tā yuánxiān zhù zài Běijīng, hòulái bān dào le Shànghǎi.
He originally lived in Beijing, then moved to Shanghai.
HSK 7-9
Yuánxiān zhèlǐ shì yīpiàn nóngtián.
Originally this was farmland.

Tips

usage
原先 (originally, more colloquial) ≈ 原来 (originally/as it turns out) ≈ 本来 (originally/supposed to). Subtle differences in nuance.

Stroke Order

yuán
xiān