How to Say ‘First’ in Simplified Chinese
先
xiān
[shyen]
💬 Usage Tip: [先] goes before the verb to mean "first": [先登记] "register first," [先去那边] "go over there first." It's a very reusable pattern for step-by-step instructions.
Phrase Breakdown
先
xiān
[shyen]
first; before
Used to show that one action happens before another.
你先休息一下。
You rest first for a moment.
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