开路先锋 (kāi lù xiān fēng) — pioneer; trailblazer; pathbreaker

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'pioneer' or 'trailblazer' — someone or something that opens the way for others to follow. Stronger and more literary than just 先锋 alone.

noun
pioneertrailblazerpathbreaker

Examples

  • 开路先锋。
    Tā shì zhè ge lǐng yù de kāi lù xiān fēng.
    He is a pioneer in this field.
  • 开路先锋。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī shì rén gōng zhì néng háng yè de kāi lù xiān fēng.
    This company is a trailblazer in the AI industry.
  • ，开路先锋。
    Tā de yán jiū wèi hòu lái de kē xué jiā men kāi pì le dào lù, kān chēng kāi lù xiān fēng.
    His research paved the way for later scientists and can be called a pathbreaker.

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.

开路open a road
开kāiopen路lùroad
动宾Verb + object
先锋vanguard
先xiānfront锋fēngpoint
偏正Modifier + head

开路 means open a road, and 先锋 is the vanguard, so together they suggest a pathbreaker.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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
足足zú
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè路lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Open 路 →

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 鋒; 锋 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
夆
夆páng鋒fēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 鋒 pairs 金 (metal) with a sound part 夆; the simplified 锋 is a shorthand.

Open 锋 →

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