Definition
先知 literally means 'before-knowing' (先+知). It covers three related senses: a religious prophet who receives divine revelations, a secular person of remarkable foresight, and the abstract quality of prescience or foreknowledge. In modern Chinese, 先知 often appears in historical and literary contexts referring to figures like Moses or Confucius, but it can also be used metaphorically for anyone who accurately predicts the future.
n.
prophet (in a religious context)person of foresight (secular)prescienceforesight (abstract noun)
Examples
- 先知。Xǔduō gǔdài xiān zhī dōu yùyán guò zāinàn.Many ancient prophets predicted disasters.
- 先知。Tā zài kējì lǐngyù de yuǎnjiàn ràng tā bèi chēng wéi dāngdài xiān zhī.His foresight in technology earned him the title of a modern prophet.
- 先知。Zhè zhǒng xiān zhī de zhíjué zài wēijī zhōng fēicháng zhēnguì.This kind of prophetic intuition is very precious in times of crisis.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.