TongTong
Sign in

早先 (zǎo xiān) — previously; in the past

Definition

noun
previouslyin the past

Examples

  • 早先。
    zǎo xiān Wǒ men zhù zài běi jīng.
    We used to live in Beijing.
  • 早先。
    zǎo xiān De shì qing jiù bú yào zài tí le.
    Let's not bring up the past matters anymore.
  • 早先。
    zǎo xiān Wǒ méi yǒu lǐ jiě zhè ge dào lǐ.
    I didn't understand this truth before.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

早zǎoearly
先xiānbefore

“早” and “先” both point to an earlier time, so the word means previously.

Characters in this word

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
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
棗
棗zǎo早zǎo
Same sound today

The form 早 pairs 日 (sun) with 棗, which gives the sound; an earlier shape of 早 was a picture of an acorn.

Open 早 →

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 →
Appears in
Time (Abstract)

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.