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先例 (xiān lì) — precedent

Definition

先例 means a precedent — an earlier case that sets a standard for later ones to follow. It refers to a prior established case, distinct from 前辈 (a senior person, not a case).

noun
precedent
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 先例。
    Zhè jiàn shì méi yǒu xiān lì.
    There is no precedent for this matter.
  • 先例。
    Tā kāi chuàng le yí gè xiān lì.
    He set a precedent.
  • 先例。
    Wǒ men yīng gāi àn zhào xiān lì lái zuò.
    We should follow the precedent.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

先xiānearlier
例lìcase

A 先 例, an earlier case, is a precedent.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

先 combines 止 (foot) and 儿 (person) to show someone moving forward.

Open 先 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
列
列liè例lì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

例 is built from 亻, which relates to people, and 列, which gives the sound.

Open 例 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Law & Justice

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