先
先 (xiān) means “first”. It is made of ⿰ + 儿 and has 6 strokes, and is an HSK 1 word.
Break 先 into its parts
What 先 is made of
- ⿰ — structural grouping
- 土 tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 土 tǔ — earth
- 儿 ér — child
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 乚 — hook stroke
Origin hint: Someone stepping 止 in front of another person 儿 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
你先走吧。Nǐ xiān zǒu ba.You go first.
我先吃饭，再看书。Wǒ xiān chīfàn, zài kàn shū.I'll eat first, then read.
Words with 先
Also built with ⿰
Quick facts
| Pinyin | xiān |
|---|---|
| Meaning | first; before |
| Strokes | 6 |
| Radical | 儿 (legs; son, #10) |
| Pattern | Top–bottom |
| HSK | HSK 3.0 · Level 1 · HSK 2.0 · Level 3 |
Questions about 先
What does 先 mean?
先 (xiān) means “first; before”.
How many strokes does 先 have?
先 has 6 strokes.
What is the radical of 先?
The radical of 先 is 儿 (ér, “legs; son”), Kangxi radical number 10.
What parts make up 先?
先 is made of ⿰ (structural grouping) and 儿 (child).
Which HSK level is 先?
先 is in HSK 3.0 · Level 1 and HSK 2.0 · Level 3.
Learn 先 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 · Group 11: 10 words with quick checks and spaced repeats.