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先驱 (xiān qū) — pioneer; forerunner

Definition

Formal, written word for a 'pioneer' — someone who pioneers a new field, idea, or movement. Stronger and more honorific than 创始人 (founder), emphasizing a leading trailblazer rather than an originator.

noun
pioneerforerunner
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 先驱。
    Tā shì kē jì lǐng yù de xiān qū.
    He is a pioneer in the field of technology.
  • 先驱。
    Zhè xiē sī xiǎng jiā shì xiàn dài wén míng de xiān qū.
    These thinkers are the forerunners of modern civilization.
  • 先驱。
    Nà ge fā míng bèi yù wéi gōng yè gé mìng de xiān qū.
    That invention is hailed as a harbinger of the Industrial Revolution.

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.

先xiānahead
驱qūdrive

先 means ahead and 驱 means drive, so 先驱 is someone who drives ahead of others.

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 →

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 驅; 驱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
區
區qū驅qū
Same sound today

The traditional form 驅 pairs 馬 (horse) with 區 as a sound part; simplified 驱 is a later shorthand.

Open 驱 →
Appears in
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