How to write 先

Animated Stroke Order of 先

Learn to write the Chinese character "先" by watching the stroke order animation of "先".

Stroke by Stroke: 先 Writing Order

Master the Chinese character '先' stroke by stroke with visual step-by-step instructions.

Follow the Calligraphy Master: Writing '先' Step-by-Step

Learn the proper way to write the Chinese character '先' through a video tutorial with a calligraphy teacher. Follow the Calligraphy Master's Step-by-Step Guide to Write the Chinese Character '先'. You can download the printable handwriting worksheets below and practice writing together with pen and paper.

Free Printable 先 Handwriting Practice Worksheets

Printable Writing Practice Worksheet of "先"

Printable Handwriting Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 先

Download the worksheet in PNG format

Printable Stroke Order Practice Worksheet of "先"

Printable Stroke Order Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 先

Download the worksheet in PNG format

Meaning of 先

Pinyin xiān

Radical

儿

Strokes

Definition

early / prior / former / in advance / first

Usage

★★★★★

先 [xiān] 1. Time is in front, sequence is in front, opposite of "后" (hòu) (after): earlier, before; 先前 (xiān qián) - before; 先期 (xiān qī) - previously; 原先 (yuán xiān) - originally; 先驱 (xiān qū) - forerunner. 2. The earlier generation or generations of a family or ethnicity: 先人 (xiān rén) - ancestors; 先世 (xiān shì) - ancestors; 先民 (xiān mín) - early inhabitants. 3. A respectful term for deceased persons: 先祖 (xiān zǔ) - ancestors; 先父 (xiān fù) - deceased father; 先哲 (xiān zhé) - deceased wise person; 先烈 (xiān liè) - martyrs; 先贤 (xiān xián) - eminent predecessors. 4. A surname. 动【dòng】本义: 前进，走在前面 (Original meaning: Move forward, walk in front) 造字法: 会意。据甲骨文，上面是“止”(脚)，下面是“人”。意思是脚已走在人的前面 (Character formation: Ideographic. In oracle bone script, the upper part is "止" (foot), the lower part is "人" (person). It means the foot is already in front of the person.) 1. 同本义 (Same original meaning): advance. 引 - 《说文》: 先，前进也。 - 屈原《九歌·国殇》: 旌蔽日兮敌若云，矢交坠兮士争先。 - 宋·司马光《资治通鉴》: 恐为操所先。例: - 身先士卒 (Leading by example); 争先恐后 (Rushing forward, fearing to lag behind). 2. 尊崇;重视 (Attach importance to): 引 - 《史记·本准书》: 安宁则长庠序，先本绌末，以礼义防于利。例: - 先本 (Emphasize the fundamentals). 3. 首创;开始 (Initiate; begin): 引 - 《庄子·刻意》: 不为福先，不为祸始。例: - 先志 (Set ambitions first); 先事 (Prioritize tasks). 名【míng】 1. 当初;先前 (Initially; before): 引 - 《红楼梦》: 丢三忘四，惹人抱怨，竟不大象先了。例: - 先起头 (Previously); 先日 (A few days ago). 2. 先世;祖先 (Ancestors): 引 - 《报任安书》: 仆之先非有剖符丹书之功。例: - 先陇 (Ancestor's grave). 3. 前导;前驱 (Forerunner; pioneer): 引 - 《韩非子·五蠹》: 以为民先。例: - 先引 (Guide). 4. 姓 (A surname). 形【xíng】 1. 前，时间或次序在前 (In front, earlier in time or order): 引 - 《史记·廉颇蔺相如列传》: 以先国家之急。 2. 古时的;先前的，先代的 (Old; ancient): 引 - 《礼记·月令》: 天子乃荐鞠衣于先帝。 3. 首要，根本 (Chief; fundamental): 引 - 《庄子·天道》: 末学者，古人有之，而非所以先也。 4. 上 (Superior): 引 - 唐·韩愈《和侯协律咏笋》: 短长终不校，先后竟谁论? 5. 已故的。称呼死者的敬词 (The deceased): 引 - 明·归有光《项脊轩志》: 先大母婢也。副【fù】指事情、行为发生在前 (Indicates that events or actions occur before): 引 - 三国魏·邯郸淳《笑林》: 树下先有落叶。 *引自繁体辞典解释: 动 1. 不当超前而超前。 2. 领导、率导。

先哲 xiān zhé

distinguished precursor / famous thinker of antiquity

身先士卒 shēn xiān shì zú

to fight at the head of one's troops / (fig.) to take the lead

未卜先知 wèi bǔ xiān zhī

predictable / sth one can predict without being a clairvoyant

先帝 xiān dì

Emperor Xian

先後 xiān hòu

early or late / priority / in succession / one after another

争先恐后 zhēng xiān kǒng hòu

striving to be first and fearing to be last (idiom); outdoing one another

抢先 qiǎng xiān

to rush (to do sth urgent) / to try to be the first / to forestall

攘外必先安内 rǎng wài bì xiān ān nèi

You must first settle inside

捷足先登 jié zú xiān dēng

the quick-footed climb up first (idiom) / the early bird catches the worm / first come, first served

擒贼先擒王 qín zéi xiān qín wáng

destroy the leader and the gang will collapse

先斩后奏 xiān zhǎn hòu zòu

first decapitate then present your trophy (idiom); act first, report later

先兆 xiān zhào

omen

首先 shǒu xiān

first (of all) / in the first place

先后 xiān hòu

early or late / priority / in succession / one after another

先进 xiān jìn

advanced (technology) / to advance

先前 xiān qián

before / previously

领先 lǐng xiān

to lead / to be in front

先锋 xiān fēng

vanguard / pioneer / avant-garde

原先 yuán xiān

originally / original / former

先是 xiān shì

former / original

先行 xiān xíng

to precede others / in advance

最先 zuì xiān

(the) very first

预先 yù xiān

beforehand / in advance

率先 shuài xiān

to take the lead / to show initiative

当先 dāng xiān

in the van / in the front ranks / at the head

先驱 xiān qū

pioneer

先天 xiān tiān

inborn / innate / natural

先秦 xiān Qín

pre-Qin, Chinese history up to the foundation of the Qin imperial dynasty in 221 BC

先烈 xiān liè

martyr

先例 xiān lì

antecedent / precedent

先令 xiān lìng

shilling (loanword)

先生 xiān sheng

teacher / husband / doctor (dialect) / CL:位[wei4]

优先 yōu xiān

to have priority / to take precedence

先睹为快 xiān dǔ wéi kuài

joy of first experience (idiom) / the pleasure of reading sth for the first time

先祖 xiān zǔ

deceased grandfather / ancestry

事先 shì xiān

in advance / before the event / beforehand / prior

邓稼先 dèng jià xiān

Deng Jiaxian（人名）

先贤 xiān xián

worthy predecessor / distinguished person of the past / former sage

先辈 xiān bèi

elders / former generations

先遣 xiān qiǎn

sent in advance

先遣队 xiān qiǎn duì

advance party / advance troops

遥遥领先 yáo yáo lǐng xiān

a long way in front / to lead by a wide margin

先锋队 xiān fēng duì

vanguard

急先锋 jí xiān fēng

daring vanguard / pioneer / leading figure

先锋派 xiān fēng pài

avant-garde

先驱者 xiān qū zhě

pioneer

先验 xiān yàn

a priori (philosophy)