# 先

| 先 | U+5148, &#20808; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5148 |
| ← 兇 [U+5147] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 光 → [U+5149] |

## Translingual
### Han character

先 (Kangxi radical 10, 儿+4, 6 strokes, cangjie input 竹土竹山 (HGHU), four-corner 2421$_1$, composition ⿱𠂒儿)

#### Derived characters

* 侁, 冼, 𫩱, 姺, 𢏡, 㧥, 洗, 𤞓, 选, 㭠, 㱡, 毨, 烍, 珗, 𥏌, 䊁, 兟, 𠸛, 䚚, 詵 (诜), 跣, 酰, 銑 (铣), 駪
* 𠜎, 䢾, 㪇, 㰫, 𠒑, 𠒒, 𥏋, 𠸜, 𠒣, 𠒷, 𠓀, 𰀐
* 宪, 㾌, 筅, 𨴐
* 㮱

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 124, character 5
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1349
* Dae Jaweon: page 260, character 6
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 267, character 2
* Unihan data for U+5148

## Chinese

* 先 (Written Standard Chinese)
* 先 (Cantonese)

### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 先 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| Oracle bone scriptj20804j20805j20806j20807j20808j20809j20810j20811j20812j20813j20814j20815j20816j20817j20818j20819j20820j20821j20822j20823j20824j20825j20826j20827j20828j20829j20830j20831j20832j20833j20834j20835j20836j20837j20838j20839j20840j20841j20842j20843j20844j20845j20846j20847j20848j20849j20850j20851j20852j20853j20854j20855j20856j20857j20858j20859j20860j20861j20862j20863j20864j20865j20866j20867j20868j20869j20870j20871j20872j20873j20874j20875j20876j20877j20878j20879j20880j20881j20882j20883j20884j20885j20886j20887j20888j20889j20890j20891j20892j20893j20894Bronze inscriptionsb13509b13510b13511b13512b13513b13514b13515b13516b13517b13518b13519b13520b13521b13522b13523b13524b13525b13526b13527b13528b13529b13530b13531b13532b13533b13534b13535b13536b13537b13538b13539b13540Small seal scripts06218Transcribed ancient scriptsL31820L31821L31822L31823L31824L31825L06548L06549L06550L06551L06552L06553L06541L06542L06543L06544L06545L06546L06547L06554L06555 ||||
| References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script). ||||
| | Old Chinese |
| 洗 | *sɯːlʔ, *sɯːnʔ |
| 先 | *sɯːn, *sɯːns |
| 銑 | *sɯːnʔ |
| 跣 | *sɯːnʔ |
| 毨 | *sɯːnʔ |
| 姺 | *sɯːnʔ, *srin |
| 筅 | *sɯːnʔ |
| 冼 | *sɯːnʔ |
| 箲 | *sɯːnʔ |
| 駪 | *srin |
| 兟 | *srin |
| 詵 | *srin |
| 侁 | *srin |
Ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 止 (“foot”) + 儿 (“person”) – to go forward.

### Etymology

Sino-Tibetan. Cognate with Tibetan བསེལ (bsel, “to protect (on a dangerous path); to escort”), Chepang स्‍यालःसा (syalʔ‑, “to lead; to go or do first; to open way”) (Schuessler, 2007).

### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): xiān (xian$^1$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄢ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xian$^1$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): xiǎn
    (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): sièn
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): щян (xi͡an, I)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): sin$^1$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): lhen$^1$
* Gan (Wiktionary): xien$^1$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): siên / sîn
    (Hailu, HRS): sien$^ˋ$ / sen$^ˋ$ / sin$^ˋ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): xiên$^1$
* Jin (Wiktionary): xie$^1$
* Northern Min (KCR): síng / sáing
* Eastern Min (BUC): sĕng / siĕng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): se$^1$ / siⁿ$^1$ / seng$^1$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): seng / suiⁿ / sin / sian
    (Teochew, Peng'im): soin$^1$ / sain$^1$ / sing$^1$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^1$shi / $^1$sie / $^1$shien
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): sienn$^1$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: xiān
*** Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄢ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: sian
*** Wade–Giles: hsien$^1$
*** Yale: syān
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shian
*** Palladius: сянь (sjanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: xian$^1$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xian
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕiɛn⁵⁵/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: xiǎn
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕiã²¹/
** (Nanjing)
*** Nanjing Pinyin: sièn
*** Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): sien$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /siẽ³¹/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: щян (xi͡an, I)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕiæ̃²⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: sin$^1$
*** Yale: sīn
*** Cantonese Pinyin: sin$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: xin$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /siːn⁵⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: lhen$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /ɬen³³/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: xien$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕiɛn⁴²/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: siên / sîn
*** Hakka Romanization System: xien$^ˊ$ / xin$^ˊ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: xian$^1$ / xin$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /si̯en²⁴/, /sin²⁴/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: sien$^ˋ$ / sen$^ˋ$ / sin$^ˋ$
*** Sinological IPA: /sien⁵³/, /sen⁵³/, /sin⁵³/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: xiên$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /siɛn⁴⁴/
* Sixian:
** sîn - in 先生 (sîn-sâng).
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit先 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /ɕian⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /ɕian⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /t͡ɕʰian²¹/ /ɕian²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /ɕiã²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /siã²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /sian²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /ɕiã²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /ɕiã⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /ɕian⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /ɕiɛ̃n³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /ɕian⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /ɕiɛn⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /ɕian⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /ɕian⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /ɕiɛ̃⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /sien³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /ɕiĩ²¹/ /t͡ɕʰiĩ²¹/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /ɕie¹¹/ |
| Jin | Pingyao | /ɕie̞¹³/ |
| Jin | Hohhot | /ɕie³¹/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /ɕi⁵³/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /siɪ⁵⁵/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /ɕiẽ̞³³/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /ɕi³³/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /se³¹/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /siɛ¹¹/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /siẽ³³/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /siẽ³³/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | /ɕiɛn⁴²/ |
| Hakka | Meixian | /sian⁴⁴/ |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /sien²⁴/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /sin⁵³/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /ɬin⁵⁵/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /sin⁵⁵/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /sian⁵⁵/ /siŋ⁵⁵/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /sɛiŋ⁴⁴/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /siŋ⁵⁴/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /siŋ³³/ /sõi³³/ |
| Min | Haikou (Hainanese) | /sin²³/ /ti²³/ /tai²³/ |
* Middle Chinese: sen
Rime :
| Character | 先 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 心 (16) |
| Final (韻) | 先 (85) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | IV |
| Fanqie | 蘇前切 |
| Baxter | sen |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /sen/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /sen/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /sɛn/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /sɛn/ |
| Li Rong | /sen/ |
| Wang Li | /sien/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /sien/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | xiān |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | sin$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*sˤər/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sɯːn/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 先 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | xiān |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ sen › |
| Old Chinese | /*sˁər/ |
| English | first |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 先 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 13458 |
| Phonetic component | 先 |
| Rime group | 文 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 先 |
| Old Chinese | /*sɯːn/ |

#### Definitions

先
* first; ahead of time; before; beforehand
       Wǒ yào xiān qù xǐshǒujiān. [Pinyin]
       I need to go to the bathroom first.
    他比我先畢業。／他比我先毕业。 ― Tā bǐ wǒ xiān bìyè. ― He graduated earlier than me.
       ngo$^5$ jiu$^3$ heoi$^3$ ci$^3$ so$^2$ sin$^1$. [Jyutping]
       I need to go to the bathroom first.
       m$^4$ hou$^2$ heoi$^3$ zyu$^6$ sin$^1$. [Jyutping]
       (For now) don't go.
* first; preceding; prior
    Antonym: 後 / 后 (hòu)
    先聲／先声 ― xiānshēng ― herald; sign
    領先／领先 ― lǐngxiān ― to be in the lead
    先兩日／先两日 [Cantonese] ― sin$^1$ loeng$^5$ jat$^6$ [Jyutping] ― day before yesterday; two days ago
* for the time being; for the moment
* (colloquial) earlier on; before; at first
* ancient
* deceased; late
    先父 ― xiānfù ― deceased father
* ancestor; forefather
    祖先 ― zǔxiān ― ancestor
* thing of utmost importance
* Short for 先生 (xiānshēng).
* Short for 先手 (xiānshǒu).
* (Cantonese) only then
       keoi$^5$ fan$^3$ dou$^3$ ji$^4$ gaa$^1$ sin$^1$ fan$^3$ seng$^2$ gaau$^3$. [Jyutping]
       He slept so long that he only woke up just now.
       From: 2020, 薛凱琪 [Fiona Sit], lyrics by 黃偉文 [Wyman Wong], 南昌街王子 [The Prince Near You]
       ze$^2$ sin$^1$ giu$^3$ sing$^4$ zoeng$^2$ maa$^3$ [Jyutping]
       Only then would this be called growing?
* (Cantonese) first off
       nei$^5$ maai$^5$ zo$^2$ mei$^6$ sin$^1$? [Jyutping]
       First off, have you even bought it yet?
* (Cantonese) Used to emphasize that something is/is not.
       ngo$^5$ sin$^1$ m$^4$ tung$^4$ keoi$^5$ gong$^2$. [Jyutping]
       There's no way I'm going to tell them. / No, I am not going to tell them. / They are the last person I would tell.
       ni$^1$ di$^1$ sin$^1$ hai$^6$ coeng$^3$ go$^1$. [Jyutping]
       This is true singing.
       nei$^5$ sin$^1$ sik$^6$ jat$^1$ wun$^2$ faan$^6$ dim$^2$ wui$^5$ gau$^3$! [Jyutping]
       How can you be full eating only one bowl of rice?
* a surname

##### Usage notes

* (first; beforehand): In Standard Mandarin, 先 comes before the verb; in Cantonese, Teochew and Southeast Asian Mandarin, 先 comes after the verb (and elements such as verb aspect and verb object).

##### Synonyms

* (first): 首先 (shǒuxiān), 最先 (zuìxiān), 第一 (dì-yī)
* (only then):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 才$_2$, 再, 方, 始, 方才 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 才$_2$ |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 才$_2$ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 先, 至, 先至 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 先, 至, 先至 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 正 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 才$_3$ |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 正 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 正 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 再, 才$_2$ |
| Wu | Suzhou | 再 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 才至 |

#### Compounds

* 一路領先 / 一路领先 (yīlùlǐngxiān)
* 一馬當先 / 一马当先 (yīmǎdāngxiān)
* 七代先靈 / 七代先灵
* 下江先生
* 也克先拜巴扎 (Yěkèxiān Bàibāzhā)
* 事先 (shìxiān)
* 五柳先生
* 亭林先生
* 佔先 / 占先 (zhànxiān)
* 儘先 / 尽先
* 優先 / 优先 (yōuxiān)
* 優先權 / 优先权 (yōuxiānquán)
* 先下手為強 / 先下手为强 (xiān xiàshǒu wéi qiáng)
* 先世 (xiānshì)
* 先主
* 先人 (xiānrén)
* 先人後己 / 先人后己
* 先令 (xiānlìng)
* 先來 / 先来
* 先例 (xiānlì)
* 先來後到 / 先来后到
* 先儒
* 先兆 (xiānzhào)
* 先兒 / 先儿
* 先入之見 / 先入之见 (xiānrùzhījiàn)
* 先入為主 / 先入为主 (xiānrùwéizhǔ)
* 先公後私 / 先公后私
* 先前 (xiānqián)
* 先務 / 先务
* 先卿
* 先古 (xiāngǔ)
* 先君 (xiānjūn)
* 先吾著鞭
* 先哲 (xiānzhé)
* 先嚴 / 先严
* 先塋 / 先茔
* 先天 (xiāntiān)
* 先夫 (xiānfū)
* 先天不足 (xiāntiānbùzú)
* 先天性 (xiāntiānxìng)
* 先天缺陷 (xiāntiān quēxiàn)
* 先天說 / 先天说
* 先妣 (xiānbǐ)
* 先妾
* 先室 (xiānshì)
* 先容
* 先導 / 先导 (xiāndǎo)
* 先帝 (xiāndì)
* 先師 / 先师 (xiānshī)
* 先年
* 先後 / 先后 (xiānhòu)
* 先後倒置 / 先后倒置
* 先從隗始 / 先从隗始
* 先德
* 先意希旨
* 先意承志
* 先意承旨
* 先慈 (xiāncí)
* 先憂後樂 / 先忧后乐
* 先手 (xiānshǒu)
* 先斬後奏 / 先斩后奏 (xiānzhǎnhòuzòu)
* 先斬後聞 / 先斩后闻
* 先施
* 先是 (xiānshì)
* 先時 / 先时 (xiānshí)
* 先期 (xiānqī)
* 先機 / 先机 (xiānjī)
* 先正
* 先母 (xiānmǔ)
* 先民 (xiānmín)
* 先決問題 / 先决问题
* 先決條件 / 先决条件 (xiānjué tiáojiàn)
* 先河 (xiānhé)
* 先澤 / 先泽
* 先烈 (xiānliè)
* 先父 (xiānfù)
* 先王 (xiānwáng)
* 先生 (xiānshēng)
* 先疇 / 先畴
* 先登
* 先發 / 先发 (xiānfā)
* 先發制人 / 先发制人 (xiānfāzhìrén)
* 先皇 (xiānhuáng)
* 先盛後衰 / 先盛后衰
* 先睹為快 / 先睹为快 (xiāndǔwéikuài)
* 先知 (xiānzhī)
* 先知先覺 / 先知先觉
* 先祀
* 先祖 (xiānzǔ)
* 先祖妣
* 先祖考
* 先禮後兵 / 先礼后兵 (xiānlǐhòubīng)
* 先秦 (xiānqín)
* 先秦諸子 / 先秦诸子
* 先策
* 先緒 / 先绪
* 先缺後空 / 先缺后空
* 先考 (xiānkǎo)
* 先聖 / 先圣 (xiānshèng)
* 先聲 / 先声 (xiānshēng)
* 先聲奪人 / 先声夺人 (xiānshēngduórén)
* 先聲後實 / 先声后实
* 先臣
* 先花後果 / 先花后果 (xiānhuāhòuguǒ)
* 先荊 / 先荆
* 先蠶 / 先蚕
* 先行 (xiānxíng)
* 先行官 (xiānxíngguān)
* 先行後聞 / 先行后闻
* 先見 / 先见 (xiānjiàn)
* 先見之明 / 先见之明 (xiānjiànzhīmíng)
* 先覺 / 先觉 (xiānjué)
* 先覺先知 / 先觉先知
* 先識 / 先识
* 先識遠量 / 先识远量
* 先議權 / 先议权
* 先賢 / 先贤 (xiānxián)
* 先走一步
* 先路
* 先輩 / 先辈 (xiānbèi)
* 先農 / 先农 (xiānnóng)
* 先進 / 先进 (xiānjìn)
* 先進國家 / 先进国家
* 先達 / 先达 (xiāndá)
* 先遣作戰 / 先遣作战
* 先遣部隊 / 先遣部队
* 先遣隊 / 先遣队
* 先鋒 / 先锋 (xiānfēng)
* 先鋒隊 / 先锋队 (xiānfēngduì)
* 先難後獲 / 先难后获
* 先零
* 先鞭
* 先頭 / 先头 (xiāntóu)
* 先頭部隊 / 先头部队
* 先馳得點 / 先驰得点
* 先驅 / 先驱 (xiānqū)
* 先驅者 / 先驱者 (xiānqūzhě)
* 先驅螻蟻 / 先驱蝼蚁
* 先驗主義 / 先验主义 (xiānyàn zhǔyì)
* 全真先生
* 最先 (zuìxiān)
* 冬烘先生
* 制敵機先 / 制敌机先
* 原先 (yuánxiān)
* 古聖先賢 / 古圣先贤
* 在先 (zàixiān)
* 地理先生
* 坌鳥先飛 / 坌鸟先飞 (bènniǎoxiānfēi)
* 大人先生
* 大先生
* 太老先生
* 夯雀先飛 / 夯雀先飞
* 奮勇爭先 / 奋勇争先
* 奮勇當先 / 奋勇当先
* 女先
* 女先生
* 好好先生
* 孝先便腹
* 守先待後 / 守先待后
* 小先生 (xiǎoxiānsheng)
* 巴先
* 幸為先容 / 幸为先容
* 廣文先生 / 广文先生
* 後先輝映 / 后先辉映
* 後實先聲 / 后实先声
* 後發先至 / 后发先至
* 從先 / 从先
* 得先手
* 德先生
* 急先鋒 / 急先锋 (jíxiānfēng)
* 恢先緒 / 恢先绪
* 恐後爭先 / 恐后争先 (kǒnghòuzhēngxiān)
* 意在筆先 / 意在笔先
* 意存筆先 / 意存笔先
* 承先啟後 / 承先启后 (chéngxiānqǐhòu)
* 探先
* 排先拜巴扎 (Páixiānbàibāzhā)
* 捷足先得
* 捷足先登 (jiézúxiāndēng)
* 搶先 / 抢先 (qiǎngxiān)
* 擁彗先驅 / 拥彗先驱
* 攙先 / 搀先
* 敢勇當先 / 敢勇当先
* 早先 (zǎoxiān)
* 有約在先 / 有约在先
* 有言在先 (yǒuyán zàixiān)
* 望秋先零
* 未卜先知 (wèibǔxiānzhī)
* 未老先衰 (wèilǎoxiānshuāi)
* 未風先雨 / 未风先雨
* 楮先生 (chǔxiānshēng)
* 機先 / 机先
* 比先
* 比先時 / 比先时
* 洞察機先 / 洞察机先
* 洞燭機先 / 洞烛机先
* 烏有先生 / 乌有先生
* 爭先 / 争先 (zhēngxiān)
* 爭先恐後 / 争先恐后 (zhēngxiānkǒnghòu)
* 猛著先鞭
* 率先 (shuàixiān)
* 甘井先竭 (gānjǐngxiānjié)
* 當先 / 当先 (dāngxiān)
* 疋先裡 / 疋先里
* 疾足先得
* 瞽目先生
* 祖先 (zǔxiān)
* 祖鞭先著
* 福為禍先 / 福为祸先
* 禍為福先 / 祸为福先
* 禮先壹飯 / 礼先壹饭
* 私塾先生
* 稷下先生
* 笨雀先飛 / 笨雀先飞
* 笨鳥先飛 / 笨鸟先飞 (bènniǎoxiānfēi)
* 算命先生 (suànmìng xiānsheng)
* 老先
* 老先生 (lǎoxiānshēng)
* 老祖先
* 至聖先師 / 至圣先师
* 荷葉先師 / 荷叶先师
* 著先鞭
* 負弩先驅 / 负弩先驱
* 賽先生 / 赛先生
* 起先 (qǐxiān)
* 身先士卒 (shēnxiānshìzú)
* 身先士眾 / 身先士众
* 躬先士卒
* 躬先表率
* 近火先燋
* 逐兔先得
* 道學先生 / 道学先生
* 遙遙領先 / 遥遥领先 (yáoyáolǐngxiān)
* 鄉先生 / 乡先生
* 鄉先達 / 乡先达
* 門館先生 / 门馆先生
* 開先例 / 开先例
* 開路先鋒 / 开路先锋
* 陳先 / 陈先 (Chénxiān)
* 陽明先生 / 阳明先生
* 非有先生
* 革命先烈
* 預先 / 预先 (yùxiān)
* 領先 / 领先 (lǐngxiān)
* 領先指標 / 领先指标
* 領先群倫 / 领先群伦
* 領先群雄 / 领先群雄
* 頭先 / 头先 (tóuxiān)
* 風水先生 / 风水先生 (fēngshuǐ xiānshēng)
* 首先 (shǒuxiān)
* 馬蓋先 / 马盖先

#### References

* (Min Nan) “先”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): xiān, xiàn
    (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄢ, ㄒㄧㄢˋ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese, Mainland)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: xiān
*** Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄢ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: sian
*** Wade–Giles: hsien$^1$
*** Yale: syān
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shian
*** Palladius: сянь (sjanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵/
** (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: xiàn
*** Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄢˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: siàn
*** Wade–Giles: hsien$^4$
*** Yale: syàn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiann
*** Palladius: сянь (sjanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹/
* Middle Chinese: senH
Rime :
| Character | 先 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 心 (16) |
| Final (韻) | 先 (85) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | IV |
| Fanqie | 蘇佃切 |
| Baxter | senH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /sen$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /sen$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /sɛn$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /sɛn$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /sen$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /sien$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /sien$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | xiàn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | sin$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*sˤər-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sɯːns/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 先 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | xiàn |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ sen$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*sˁər-s/ |
| English | go first |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 先 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| No. | 13467 |
| Phonetic component | 先 |
| Rime group | 文 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 霰 |
| Old Chinese | /*sɯːns/ |

#### Definitions

先
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to guide; to initiate
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to be earlier
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to surpass
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) originally
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to introduce
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) term of address for one's elder brother's wife

### Pronunciation 3

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): xiǎn (xian$^3$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄢˇ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: xiǎn
*** Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄢˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: siǎn
*** Wade–Giles: hsien$^3$
*** Yale: syǎn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shean
*** Palladius: сянь (sjanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

#### Definitions

先
* Only used in 先馬／先马.

### References

* “先”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

## Japanese
### Kanji

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

#### Readings

* Go-on: せん (sen, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: せん (sen, Jōyō)
* Kun: さき (saki, 先, Jōyō)、さきんじる (sakinjiru, 先んじる)、まず (mazu, 先ず)

#### Compounds

* 一(ひと)先(まず) (hitomazu), 一(ひと)先(ま)ず (hitomazu)
* 先(ま)ず無(な)い (mazunai)

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 先
* さき Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
* Alternative spellings
* 前 尖
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *saki. Cognate with 崎 (saki, “a (geographical) point, where the land sticks out into the water”).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) さき [sàkí] (Heiban – [0])
* (Tokyo) さき [sáꜜkì] (Atamadaka – [1]) (only for the "before" senses)
* IPA: [sa̠kʲi]

#### Noun

先(さき) • (saki)
* before, previous
    Synonym: 先に (saki ni, “adverb”)
    どっちが先(さき)か。
       Dotchi ga saki ka.
       Which one was first?
* end, tip
    矢(や)の先(さき)
       ya no saki
       tip of an arrow
* earlier, the past
* afterwards, the future
* the destination of a motion or action
    送信(そうしん)先(さき)
       sōshin-saki
       recipient
    バイト先(さき)
       baito-saki
       workplace (of a part-time job)
    行(ゆ)き先(さき)不明(ふめい)
       yuki-saki fumei
       whereabouts unknown
    お帰(かえ)り先(さき)
       o-kaeri-saki
       place of return
* sequel
* ahead, in front
    その先(さき)は森(もり)の奥(おく)。
       Sono saki wa mori no oku.
       What lies beyond there is the heart of the forest.

##### Derived terms

* 先(さき)金(がね) (sakigane)
* 先(さき)頃(ごろ) (sakigoro)
* 先(さき)々(ざき) (sakizaki), 先(さき)先(ざき) (sakizaki)
* 先(さき)隣(どなり) (sakidonari)
* 先(さき)太(ぶと) (sakibuto)
* 先(さき)棒(ぼう) (sakibō)
* 先(さき)程(ほど) (sakihodo)
* 先(さき)物(もの) (sakimono)
* 先(さき)安(やす) (sakiyasu)
* 宛(あて)先(さき) (atesaki)
* 後(あと)先(さき) (atosaki)
* 御(お)先(さき) (osaki), お先(さき) (osaki)
* 肩(かた)先(さき) (katasaki)
* 口(くち)先(さき) (kuchisaki)
* 剣(けん)先(さき) (kensaki)
* 現(げん)先(さき) (gensaki)
* 幸(さい)先(さき) (saisaki)
* 潮(しお)先(さき) (shiosaki)
* 舌(した)先(さき) (shitasaki)
* 旅(たび)先(さき) (tabisaki)
* 筒(つつ)先(さき) (tsutsusaki)
* 爪(つめ)先(さき) (tsumesaki)
* 手(て)先(さき) (tesaki)
* 出(で)先(さき) (desaki)
* 突(とっ)先(さき) (tossaki)
* 庭(にわ)先(さき) (niwasaki)
* 軒(のき)先(さき) (nokisaki)
* 縁(のき)先(さき) (nokisaki)
* 刃(は)先(さき) (hasaki)
* 鼻(はな)先(さき) (hanasaki)
* 春(はる)先(さき) (harusaki)
* 筆(ふで)先(さき) (fudesaki)
* 舳(へ)先(さき) (hesaki)
* 火(ほ)先(さき) (hosaki)
* 穂(ほ)先(さき) (hosaki)
* 矛(ほこ)先(さき) (hokosaki)
* 水(みず)先(さき) (mizusaki)
* 店(みせ)先(さき) (misesaki)
* 胸(むな)先(さき) (munasaki)
* 目(め)先(さき) (mesaki)
* 矢(や)先(さき) (yasaki)
* 槍(やり)先(さき) (yarisaki)
* 指(ゆび)先(さき) (yubisaki)
* 先(さき)売(う)り (sakiuri)
* 先(さき)送(おく)り (sakiokuri)
* 先(さき)買(が)い (sakigai)
* 先(さき)借(が)り (sakigari)
* 先(さき)立(だ)つ (sakidatsu)
* 先(さき)立(だ)てる (sakidateru)
* 先(さき)付(づ)け (sakizuke)
* 先(さき)取(ど)り (sakidori)
* 先(さき)走(ばし)る (sakibashiru)
* 先(さき)払(ばら)い (sakibarai)
* 先(さき)んじる (sakinjiru)
* 先(さき)んずる (sakinzuru)
* 行(い)き先(さき) (ikisaki)
* 生(お)い先(さき) (oisaki)
* 老(お)い先(さき) (oisaki)
* 送(おく)り先(さき) (okurisaki)
* 切(き)っ先(さき) (kissaki)
* 此(こ)の先(さき) (konosaki)
* 使(つか)い先(さき) (tsukaisaki)
* 勤(つと)め先(さき) (tsutomesaki)
* 嫁(とつ)ぎ先(さき) (totsugisaki)
* 届(とど)け先(さき) (todokesaki)
* ペン先(さき) (pensaki)
* 真(ま)っ先(さき) (massaki)
* 移(い)転(てん)先(さき) (itensaki)
* 一(いっ)寸(すん)先(さき) (issunsaki)
* 勤(きん)務(む)先(さき) (kinmusaki)
* 下(げ)馬(ば)先(さき) (gebasaki)
* 玄(げん)関(かん)先(さき) (genkansaki)
* 小(こ)手(て)先(さき) (kotesaki)
* 購(こう)入(にゅう)先(さき) (kōnyūsaki)
* 指(し)示(じ)先(さき) (shijisaki)
* 就(しゅう)職(そく)先(さき) (shūsokusaki)
* 宿(しゅく)泊(はく)先(さき) (shukuhakusaki)
* 照(しょう)会(かい)先(さき) (shōkaisaki)
* 送(そう)付(ふ)先(さき) (sōfusaki)
* 太(た)刀(ち)先(さき) (tachisaki)
* 注(ちゅう)文(もん)先(さき) (chūmonsaki)
* 手(て)羽(ば)先(さき) (tebasaki)
* 転(てん)居(い)先(さき) (ten'isaki)
* 転(てん)送(そう)先(さき) (tensōsaki)
* 伝(でん)送(そう)先(さき) (densōsaki)
* 転(てん)任(にん)先(さき) (tenninsaki)
* 得(とく)意(い)先(さき) (tokuisaki)
* 取(とり)引(ひき)先(さき) (torihikisaki)
* 刷(は)毛(け)先(さき) (hakesaki)
* 配(はい)達(たつ)先(さき) (haitatsusaki)
* 一(ひと)足(あし)先(さき) (hitoashisaki)
* 奉(ほう)公(こう)先(さき) (hōkōsaki)
* 旅(りょ)行(こう)先(さき) (ryokōsaki)
* 連(れん)絡(らく)先(さき) (renrakusaki)
* 仕(し)入(い)れ先(さき) (shīresaki)
* 差(さ)し出(だ)し先(さき) (sashidashisaki)
* 立(た)ち回(まわ)り先(さき) (tachimawarisaki)
* 取(と)り引(ひ)き先(さき) (torihikisaki)
* 引(ひ)っ越(こ)し先(さき) (hikkoshisaki)
* 問(と)い合(あ)わせ先(さき) (toiawasesaki)

##### Idioms

* 先(さき)を越(こ)す (sakiokosu)

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 先
* さき > さっき Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 先 – see the following entry. :
| 【さっき】 | [adverb] (colloquial) Synonym of 先ほど (sakihodo) [adverb] a little time ago [adverb] some time ago [adverb] just now |
(This term, 先, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

### Etymology 3

* Kanji in this term
* 先
* せん Grade: 1
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 先 (MC sen|senH).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) せん [séꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [sẽ̞ɴ]

#### Noun

先(せん) • (sen)
* before, previous

##### Derived terms

* 先(せん)鋭(えい) (sen'ei)
* 先(せん)回(かい) (senkai)
* 先(せん)覚(かく) (senkaku)
* 先(せん)学(がく) (sengaku)
* 先(せん)議(ぎ) (sengi)
* 先(せん)客(きゃく) (senkyaku)
* 先(せん)駆(く) (senku)
* 先(せん)君(くん) (senkun)
* 先(せん)決(けつ) (senketsu)
* 先(せん)月(げつ) (sengetsu)
* 先(せん)見(けん) (senken)
* 先(せん)賢(けん) (senken)
* 先(せん)遣(けん) (senken)
* 先(せん)古(こ) (senko)
* 先(せん)口(こう) (senkō)
* 先(せん)攻(こう) (senkō)
* 先(せん)考(こう) (senkō)
* 先(せん)行(こう) (senkō)
* 先(せん)高(こう) (senkō)
* 先(せん)刻(こく) (senkoku)
* 先(せん)妻(さい) (sensai)
* 先(せん)細(さい) (sensai)
* 先(せん)在(ざい) (senzai)
* 先(せん)様(さま) (sensama)
* 先(せん)山(ざん) (senzan)
* 先(せん)史(し) (senshi)
* 先(せん)師(し) (senshi)
* 先(せん)日(じつ) (senjitsu)
* 先(せん)主(しゅ) (senshu)
* 先(せん)取(しゅ) (senshu)
* 先(せん)蹴(しゅう) (senshū)
* 先(せん)週(しゅう) (senshū)
* 先(せん)住(じゅう) (senjū)
* 先(せん)述(じゅつ) (senjutsu)
* 先(せん)勝(しょう) (senshō)
* 先(せん)進(しん) (senshin)
* 先(せん)人(じん) (senjin)
* 先(せん)陣(じん) (senjin)
* 先(せん)制(せい) (sensei)
* 先(せん)生(せい) (sensei)
* 先(せん)聖(せい) (sensei)
* 先(せん)祖(ぞ) (senzo)
* 先(せん)代(だい) (sendai)
* 先(せん)達(だつ) (sendatsu)
* 先(せん)端(たん) (sentan)
* 先(せん)知(ち) (senchi)
* 先(せん)着(ちゃく) (senchaku)
* 先(せん)手(て) (sente)
* 先(せん)哲(てつ) (sentetsu)
* 先(せん)天(てん) (senten)
* 先(せん)登(とう) (sentō), 先(せん)頭(とう) (sentō)
* 先(せん)途(ど) (sendo)
* 先(せん)度(ど) (sendo)
* 先(せん)塔(とう) (sentō)
* 先(せん)投(とう) (sentō)
* 先(せん)導(どう) (sendō)
* 先(せん)入(にゅ) (sennyu)
* 先(せん)任(にん) (sennin)
* 先(せん)年(ねん) (sennen)
* 先(せん)王(のう) (sennō)
* 先(せん)皇(のう) (sennō)
* 先(せん)帝(のう) (sennō)
* 先(せん)輩(ぱい) (senpai)
* 先(せん)発(ぱつ) (senpatsu)
* 先(せん)般(ぱん) (senpan)
* 先(せん)番(ばん) (senban)
* 先(せん)非(ぴ) (senpi)
* 先(せん)妣(ぴ) (senpi)
* 先(せん)夫(ぷ) (senpu)
* 先(せん)婦(ぷ) (senpu)
* 先(せん)父(ぷ) (senpu)
* 先(せん)負(ぶ) (senbu)
* 先(せん)兵(ぺい) (senpei)
* 先(せん)便(べん) (senben)
* 先(せん)鞭(べん) (senben)
* 先(せん)方(ぽう) (senpō)
* 先(せん)鋒(ぽう) (senpō)
* 先(せん)務(む) (senmu)
* 先(せん)夜(や) (sen'ya)
* 先(せん)役(やく) (sen'yaku)
* 先(せん)約(やく) (sen'yaku)
* 先(せん)例(れい) (senrei)
* 機(き)先(せん) (kisen)
* 祖(そ)先(せん) (sosen)
* 帥(そっ)先(せん) (sossen), 卒(そっ)先(せん) (sossen), 率(そっ)先(せん) (sossen)
* 優(ゆう)先(せん) (yūsen)
* 先(せん)達(だっ)て (sendatte), 先(せん)だって (sendatte)
* 先(せん)駆(く)者(しゃ) (senkusha)
* 先(せん)験(けん)的(てき) (senkenteki)
* 先(せん)伝(でん)言(ごん) (sendengon, “herald”)
* 鋭(えい)先(せん)形(けい) (eisenkei)

### References

* ↑ Omodaka, Hisataka (1967) 時代別国語大辞典 上代編 [The dictionary of historical Japanese: Old Japanese] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN, page 322
* 1 2 3 “さき 【先・前】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
* ↑ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 先 (MC sen).
* Recorded as Middle Korean 션 (Yale: syen) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
* Recorded as Middle Korean 션 (syen)$^訓$ (Yale: syen) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰʌ̹n]
* Phonetic hangul: [선]

#### Hanja

Wikisource 先 (eumhun 먼저 선 (meonjeo seon))
* Hanja form of 선 (“first; foremost”).
* Hanja form of 선 (“former; previous”).

#### Compounds

* 선각 (先覺, seon'gak)
* 선결 (先決, seon'gyeol)
* 선고 (先考, seon'go)
* 선구 (先驅, seon'gu)
* 선급 (先給, seon'geup)
* 선김 (先金, seon'gim)
* 선단 (先端, seondan)
* 선대 (先代, seondae)
* 선례 (先例, seollye)
* 선배 (先輩, seonbae)
* 선봉 (先鋒, seonbong)
* 선산 (先山, seonsan)
* 선생 (先生, seonsaeng)
* 선세 (先世, seonse)
* 선수 (先手, seonsu)
* 선약 (先約, seonyak)
* 선열 (先烈, seonyeol)
* 선영 (先塋, seonyeong)
* 선조 (先祖, seonjo)
* 선진 (先進, seonjin)
* 선착 (先着, seonchak)
* 선창 (先唱, seonchang)
* 선천 (先天, seoncheon)
* 선취 (先取, seonchwi)
* 선친 (先親, seonchin)
* 선행 (先行, seonhaeng)
* 우선 (于先, useon)
* 우선 (優先, useon)
* 조선 (祖先, joseon)
* 선구자 (先驅者, seon'guja)
* 선도자 (先導者, seondoja)
* 선입견 (先入見, seonipgyeon)
* 선입관 (先入觀, seonipgwan)
* 선지자 (先知者, seonjija)
* 선진국 (先進國, seonjin'guk)
* 선착순 (先着順, seonchaksun)
* 선천적 (先天的, seoncheonjeok)
* 선후책 (先後策, seonhuchaek)
* 설렁탕 (先農湯, seolleongtang)

### Etymology 2

Related to Middle Chinese 洗 (MC sejX).

#### Hanja

先 (eumhun 전구(前驅) 세)
* (archaic) hanja form of 세 (“to lead; to guide”)

#### Compounds

* 세마 (先馬/洗馬, sema)

### References

* 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

先: Hán Việt readings: tiên (蘇(tô)前(tiền)切(thiết)), tiến
先: Nôm readings: tiên, tên, ten, teng
* Chữ Hán form of tiên (“first; prior; before”).

#### Compounds

* 頭先 (đầu tiên)
* 先生 (tiên sinh)
* 先進 (tiên tiến)
* 先祖 (tiên tổ)
* 祖先 (tổ tiên)
* 優先 (ưu tiên)

### References

* 1 2 3 Nguyễn (2014).
* 1 2 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* 1 2 3 4 Trần (2004).
* 1 2 Bonet (1899).
* 1 2 Génibrel (1898).
* ↑ Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).