第一 (dì yī) — first (ordinal number); primary, foremost | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

numeral

first (ordinal number)primaryforemost

Examples

第一。
Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng huò dé le dì yī míng.
He got first place in the competition.
，第一。
Ān quán shì gōng zuò zhōng zuì zhòng yào de yì tiáo, ān quán dì yī.
Safety is the most important thing at work — safety first.
第一。
Tā de dì yī cì chū guó lǚ xíng qù le rì běn.
Her first trip abroad was to Japan.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

第dìorder marker

The 第 part marks order, and 一 means one.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

弟

弟dì第dì

Same sound today

第 shows 𥫗, the bamboo strips once used for writing and sorting, with 弟 giving the sound.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Appears in

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