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先辈 (xiān bèi) — older generation (people from a previous era or earlier generation); ancestor, forebear

Definition

A respectful, formal term for earlier generations or ancestors — people who came before and contributed to what we have today. Use 它 (or older ‘他们’) for the in-group; not for living parents.

noun
older generation (people from a previous era or earlier generation)ancestorforebear
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 先辈。
    Wǒ men yào jì chéng xiān bèi de yōu liáng chuán tǒng.
    We must carry forward the fine traditions of our older generations.
  • 先辈。
    Zhè xiē shū xìn dōu shì tā de xiān bèi liú xià lái de.
    These letters were all left by his ancestors.
  • 先辈。
    xiān bèi Men wèi le guó jiā fù chū le hěn duō.
    The older generation sacrificed a lot for the country.

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
辈bèigeneration

先 means earlier, 辈 means generation; together they denote the older generation or ancestors.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 輩; 辈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
非
非fēi輩bèi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輩 pairs 車 (vehicle) with 非, which gives the sound; this describes 輩, not the simplified 辈.

Open 辈 →
Appears in
Family & Kinship

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