Definition
前卫 is a noun with two main senses: in military contexts it means 'vanguard' or 'advance guard', but in modern everyday Chinese it is far more common as a cultural term meaning 'avant-garde' — referring to art, fashion, music, or ideas that are experimental, unconventional, or ahead of their time. You'll hear it in phrases like 前卫艺术 (avant-garde art) and 前卫设计 (cutting-edge design). The military sense is limited to formal or historical writing.
n.
avant-gardecutting-edge (in art, fashion, ideas)vanguardadvance guard (military)
Examples
- 前卫，。Tā de fúzhuāng shèjì fēicháng qián wèi, dàdǎn yòu xīnyǐng.Her clothing designs are very avant-garde — bold and innovative.
- 前卫，。Zhè zhī yuèduì de yīnyuè fēnggé hěn qián wèi, bú tài róngyì bèi dàzhòng jiēshòu.This band's musical style is very avant-garde and not easily accepted by the mainstream.
- ，前卫。Zài jūnshì shǐ shàng, qián wèi bùduì fùzé zhēnchá hé kāilù.In military history, vanguard units are responsible for reconnaissance and clearing the way.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.