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原先 (yuán xiān) — (noun) the original state, condition, or plan; the former time

Definition

原先 is a noun for 'the original / former state or plan' — it only names the earlier condition, unlike 原来 which also works as an adverb ('originally, at first') and an exclamation ('so…!').

noun
the original stateconditionor planthe former time
Easily confused

Examples

  • 原先，。
    Àn zhào yuán xiān, wǒ men míng tiān chū fā.
    According to the original plan, we leave tomorrow.
  • 原先，。
    Tā bù tóng yì yuán xiān, tí chū le xīn fāng àn.
    He disagreed with the original and proposed a new plan.
  • 原先。
    yuán xiān Yǐ jīng bèi dà jiā jiē shòu le.
    The original has been accepted by everyone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

原yuánoriginal
先xiānearlier or former

原 means original and 先 means earlier; together they refer to the former time or original state.

Characters in this word

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

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Time (Abstract)

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