首當其衝

Chinese

		head; chief; first (occasion) head; chief; first (occasion); first (thing); measure word for poems	to act as; represent; equal to act as; represent; equal; should; fitting; suitable; adequate; proper; replace; to be; to hold a position; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; match equally; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at	his; her; its his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it)	of great force; towards; dash against
trad. (首當其衝)		首	當	其	衝
simp. (首当其冲)		首	当	其	冲

Etymology

Formed based on a line in the Book of Han:

鄭當其衝，不能修德。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

郑当其冲，不能修德。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

Zhèng dāng qí chōng, bùnéng xiū dé. [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this usage example)

First attested in the Draft History of Qing:

歐艦東來，粵東首當其衝。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

欧舰东来，粤东首当其冲。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: 1929, Zhao Erxun (lead editor), Draft History of Qing

Ōu jiàn dōng lái, Yuèdōng shǒudāngqíchōng. [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): shǒudāngqíchōng

(Zhuyin): ㄕㄡˇ ㄉㄤㄑㄧˊ ㄔㄨㄥ
Cantonese (Jyutping): sau² dong¹ kei⁴ cung¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: shǒudāngqíchōng
  - Zhuyin: ㄕㄡˇ ㄉㄤㄑㄧˊ ㄔㄨㄥ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: shǒudangcíchong
  - Wade–Giles: shou³-tang¹-chʻi²-chʻung¹
  - Yale: shǒu-dāng-chí-chūng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shooudangchyichong
  - Palladius: шоуданцичун (šoudancičun)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: sau² dong¹ kei⁴ cung¹
  - Yale: sáu dōng kèih chūng
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sau² dong¹ kei⁴ tsung¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: seo² dong¹ kéi⁴ cung¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐu̯³⁵ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ kʰei̯²¹ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵/

Idiom

首當其衝

to be the first to suffer (attack or disaster)
- 特別是文化人和青年學生，感覺銳敏，首當其衝。 [MSC, trad.]
  特别是文化人和青年学生，感觉锐敏，首当其冲。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 1940, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《新民主主義論》 (On New Democracy), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition
  Tèbié shì wénhuàrén hé qīngnián xuéshēng, gǎnjué ruìmǐn, shǒudāngqíchōng. [Pinyin]
  Most susceptible, and the first to be affected, are the intellectuals and the young students.
(neologism, proscribed) taking the lead; first
(neologism, proscribed) more important, crucial or prominent

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