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先后 (xiān hòu) — (adverb) in succession, one after another; (noun) order, sequence

Definition

先后 covers both 'in succession (one after another)' and 'the order/sequence' of events. 顺序 and 次序 are nouns for sequence only; 陆续, 依次, 相继, 一一 are adverb-only and mean 'one after another' but don't imply a sequence.

adverb
in successionone after another
noun
ordersequence

Examples

  • 先后。
    Tā men xiān hòu shàng tái fā yán.
    They went up to the stage one after another to speak.
  • 先后。
    Wǒ xiān hòu qù le sān jiā shū diàn cái mǎi dào nà běn shū.
    I went to three bookstores in succession before I bought that book.
  • 先后。
    Qǐng àn xiān hòu shùn xù pái duì.
    Please line up in order.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

先xiānbefore/first
后hòuafter/later

The '先' before and '后' after stand side by side to express order or sequence.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Order & Arrangement

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