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首创 (shǒu chuàng) — to be the first to create, to pioneer, to originate

Definition

首创 emphasizes being the FIRST to create something new — the pioneering moment itself. Unlike 原创 (creating original works, esp. artistic), it foregrounds priority and invention across any field.

verb
to be the first to createto pioneerto originate

Examples

  • 首创。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī shǒu chuàng le zhì néng jiā jū xì tǒng.
    This company pioneered the smart home system.
  • 首创。
    Tā shǒu chuàng le yì zhǒng xīn de zhì liáo fāng shì.
    He pioneered a new treatment method.
  • 首创。
    Zhè ge shè jì shì yóu wǒ men tuán duì shǒu chuàng de.
    This design was originated by our team.

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.

首shǒufirst
创chuàngcreate

The 首 and 创 join first and create to mean being the first to originate something.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape comes from an old drawing of an animal's head, showing a long mouth and horns; the version with hair became 首.

Open 首 →

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 創; 创 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
倉
倉cāng創chuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 創 pairs 倉 with 刀 (knife) to write 'wound', and 倉 gives the pronunciation. The simplified 创 is a later shorthand.

Open 创 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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