有约在先

有約在先
yǒuyuēzàixiān
idiom #31,593

Meanings

  1. 1 to have a prior engagement
  2. 2 to be already committed (to another appointment or person)

Examples

Duìbùqǐ, jīnwǎn yǒuyuē zài xiān, xià cì zài jù ba.
Sorry, I have a prior engagement tonight — let's meet up another time.
Tā yǐjīng yǒuyuē zài xiān, bùnéng dāyìng nǐ de qiúhūn.
She already has a prior commitment and cannot accept your marriage proposal.

Tips

usage
A polite way to decline an invitation or proposal — literally 'have an appointment beforehand'. Particularly common in (1) dropping a social invitation politely and (2) the romantic / fiction context where someone is already engaged or promised to another. Less stiff than 婚约 'already engaged' but heavier than the casual 有事 'I have something on'.
register
Slightly formal — appropriate in business, hosting, or polite social refusals. For everyday casual decline, 我有 (wǒ yǒushì) 'I've got something on' is more natural.

Stroke Order

yǒu
yuē
zài
xiān