先

See also: 失, 矢, and 兂
先 U+5148, 先
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5148
← 兇
[U+5147] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 光 →
[U+5149]

Translingual
Stroke order
6 strokes

Han character

先 (Kangxi radical 10, 儿+4, 6 strokes, cangjie input 竹土竹山 (HGHU), four-corner 24211, composition ⿱𠂒儿)

Derived characters

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
simp. and trad.
 先

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 script

j20804

j20805

j20806

j20807

j20808

j20809

j20810

j20811

j20812

j20813

j20814

j20815

j20816

j20817

j20818

j20819

j20820

j20821

j20822

j20823

j20824

j20825

j20826

j20827

j20828

j20829

j20830

j20831

j20832

j20833

j20834

j20835

j20836

j20837

j20838

j20839

j20840

j20841

j20842

j20843

j20844

j20845

j20846

j20847

j20848

j20849

j20850

j20851

j20852

j20853

j20854

j20855

j20856

j20857

j20858

j20859

j20860

j20861

j20862

j20863

j20864

j20865

j20866

j20867

j20868

j20869

j20870

j20871

j20872

j20873

j20874

j20875

j20876

j20877

j20878

j20879

j20880

j20881

j20882

j20883

j20884

j20885

j20886

j20887

j20888

j20889

j20890

j20891

j20892

j20893

j20894

Bronze inscriptions

b13509

b13510

b13511

b13512

b13513

b13514

b13515

b13516

b13517

b13518

b13519

b13520

b13521

b13522

b13523

b13524

b13525

b13526

b13527

b13528

b13529

b13530

b13531

b13532

b13533

b13534

b13535

b13536

b13537

b13538

b13539

b13540

Small seal script

s06218

Transcribed ancient scripts

L31820

L31821

L31822

L31823

L31824

L31825

L06548

L06549

L06550

L06551

L06552

L06553

L06541

L06542

L06543

L06544

L06545

L06546

L06547

L06554

L06555

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).
Characters in the same phonetic series (先) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
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) : 之 (“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

Note:
  • Sixian:
    • sîn - in 先生 (sîn-sâng).
  • Dialectal data
Variety Location 先
Mandarin Beijing /ɕian⁵⁵/
Harbin /ɕian⁴⁴/
Tianjin /t͡ɕʰian²¹/
/ɕian²¹/
Jinan /ɕiã²¹³/
Qingdao /siã²¹³/
Zhengzhou /sian²⁴/
Xi'an /ɕiã²¹/
Xining /ɕiã⁴⁴/
Yinchuan /ɕian⁴⁴/
Lanzhou /ɕiɛ̃n³¹/
Ürümqi /ɕian⁴⁴/
Wuhan /ɕiɛn⁵⁵/
Chengdu /ɕian⁵⁵/
Guiyang /ɕian⁵⁵/
Kunming /ɕiɛ̃⁴⁴/
Nanjing /sien³¹/
Hefei /ɕiĩ²¹/
/t͡ɕʰiĩ²¹/
Jin Taiyuan /ɕie¹¹/
Pingyao /ɕie̞¹³/
Hohhot /ɕie³¹/
Wu Shanghai /ɕi⁵³/
Suzhou /siɪ⁵⁵/
Hangzhou /ɕiẽ̞³³/
Wenzhou /ɕi³³/
Hui Shexian /se³¹/
Tunxi /siɛ¹¹/
Xiang Changsha /siẽ³³/
Xiangtan /siẽ³³/
Gan Nanchang /ɕiɛn⁴²/
Hakka Meixian /sian⁴⁴/
Taoyuan /sien²⁴/
Cantonese Guangzhou /sin⁵³/
Nanning /ɬin⁵⁵/
Hong Kong /sin⁵⁵/
Min Xiamen (Hokkien) /sian⁵⁵/
/siŋ⁵⁵/
Fuzhou (Eastern Min) /sɛiŋ⁴⁴/
Jian'ou (Northern Min) /siŋ⁵⁴/
Shantou (Teochew) /siŋ³³/
/sõi³³/
Haikou (Hainanese) /sin²³/
/ti²³/
/tai²³/
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/
Bernard
Karlgren		 /sien/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex		 xiān
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex		 sin1
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

  1. first; ahead of time; before; beforehand
    我要先去洗手間。 [MSC, trad.]
    我要先去洗手间。 [MSC, simp.]
    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.
    我要去廁所先。 [Cantonese, trad.]
    我要去厕所先。 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ngo5 jiu3 heoi3 ci3 so2 sin1. [Jyutping]
    I need to go to the bathroom first.
    唔好去住先。 [Cantonese, trad. and simp.]
    m4 hou2 heoi3 zyu6 sin1. [Jyutping]
    (For now) don't go.
  2. 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]  ―  sin1 loeng5 jat6 [Jyutping]  ―  day before yesterday; two days ago
  3. for the time being; for the moment
  4. (colloquial) earlier on; before; at first
  5. ancient
  6. deceased; late
    先父  ―  xiānfù  ―  deceased father
  7. ancestor; forefather
    祖先  ―  zǔxiān  ―  ancestor
  8. thing of utmost importance
  9. Short for 先生 (xiānshēng).
  10. Short for 先手 (xiānshǒu).
  11. (Cantonese) only then
    佢瞓到而家先瞓醒覺。 [Cantonese, trad.]
    佢𰥛到而家先𰥛醒觉。 [Cantonese, simp.]
    keoi5 fan3 dou3 ji4 gaa1 sin1 fan3 seng2 gaau3. [Jyutping]
    He slept so long that he only woke up just now.
    這先叫成長嗎 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
    这先叫成长吗 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]
    From: 2020, 薛凱琪 [Fiona Sit], lyrics by 黃偉文 [Wyman Wong], 南昌街王子 [The Prince Near You]
    ze2 sin1 giu3 sing4 zoeng2 maa3 [Jyutping]
    Only then would this be called growing?
  12. (Cantonese) first off
    你買咗未先？ [Cantonese, trad.]
    你买咗未先？ [Cantonese, simp.]
    nei5 maai5 zo2 mei6 sin1? [Jyutping]
    First off, have you even bought it yet?
  13. (Cantonese) Used to emphasize that something is/is not.
    我先唔同佢講。 [Cantonese, trad.]
    我先唔同佢讲。 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ngo5 sin1 m4 tung4 keoi5 gong2. [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.
    呢啲先係唱歌。 [Cantonese, trad.]
    呢啲先系唱歌。 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ni1 di1 sin1 hai6 coeng3 go1. [Jyutping]
    This is true singing.
    你先食一碗飯點會夠！ [Cantonese, trad.]
    你先食一碗饭点会够！ [Cantonese, simp.]
    nei5 sin1 sik6 jat1 wun2 faan6 dim2 wui5 gau3! [Jyutping]
    Eating one bowl isn't enough!
  14. 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
Dialectal synonyms of 才 (“only after; only then; not ... until”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 才2, 再, 方, 始, 方才
Mandarin Taiwan 才2
Singapore 才2
Cantonese Guangzhou 先, 至, 先至
Hong Kong 先, 至, 先至
Hakka Meixian 正
Southern Min Xiamen 才3
Quanzhou 才3
Zhangzhou 才3
Singapore (Hokkien) 才3
Manila (Hokkien) 才3
Shantou 正
Singapore (Teochew) 正
Wu Shanghai 再, 才2
Suzhou 再
Xiang Changsha 才至

Compounds

References

Pronunciation 2

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		 /senH/
Pan
Wuyun		 /senH/
Shao
Rongfen		 /sɛnH/
Edwin
Pulleyblank		 /sɛnH/
Li
Rong		 /senH/
Wang
Li		 /sienH/
Bernard
Karlgren		 /sienH/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex		 xiàn
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex		 sin3
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 先
Reading # 2/2
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)		 xiàn
Middle
Chinese		 ‹ senH ›
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

  1. † to guide; to initiate
  2. † to be earlier
  3. † to surpass
  4. † originally
  5. † to introduce
  6. † term of address for one's elder brother's wife

Pronunciation 3

Definitions

先

  1. Only used in 先馬／先马.

References

Japanese

Kanji
先

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Compounds
Compounds

Etymology 1
Kanji in this term
先
さき
Grade: 1
kun’yomi
Alternative spelling
前

From Old Japanese,[1][2] from Proto-Japonic *saki. Cognate with 崎 (saki, “a (geographical) point, where the land sticks out into the water”).[3]

Pronunciation

Noun

先(さき) • (saki) 

  1. before, previous
    Synonym: 先に (saki ni, “adverb”)
    どっちが先(さき)か。
    Dotchi ga saki ka.
    Which one was first?
  2. end, tip
    矢(や)の先(さき)
    ya no saki
    tip of an arrow
  3. earlier, the past
  4. afterwards, the future
  5. 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
  6. sequel
  7. 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
Derived terms
Idioms

Etymology 2
Kanji in this term
先
さっき
Grade: 1
irregular
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

Noun

先(せん) • (sen) 

  1. before, previous
Derived terms
Derived terms

References
  1. 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
  2. “さき 【先・前】”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”) Paid subscription required‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here (Note: Dialectal meanings, etymological theories, pronunciation including modern, dialectal, and historical information, Jōdai Tokushu Kanazukai, historical dictionaries containing this word, and the kanji spellings in those dictionaries have been omitted.)
  3. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  4. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  5. 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), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 先 (MC sen).

Historical readings

Pronunciation

Hanja

Wikisource 先 (eumhun 먼저 선 (meonjeo seon))

  1. Hanja form? of 선 (“first; foremost”).
  2. Hanja form? of 선 (“former; previous”).

Compounds
Compounds

Etymology 2

Related to Middle Chinese 洗 (MC sejX).

Hanja

先 (eumhun 전구(前驅) 세 (jeon'gu( 前驅 ) se))

  1. (archaic) Hanja form? of 세 (“to lead; to guide”).

Compounds
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))[1][2][3][4][5], tiến[5]
先: Nôm readings: tiên[1][2][3][4][6], tên[1], ten[3], teng[3]

  1. Chữ Hán form of tiên (“first; prior; before”).

Compounds
Compounds

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