xiān
zhǎn
hòu
zòu

idiom
common

Meaning of 先斩后奏

先斩后奏 means to execute first and report later (originally of officials beheading criminals before imperial approval); to act on one's own initiative before reporting to superiors. Pronounced xiān zhǎn hòu zòu.

  • to execute first and report later (originally of officials beheading criminals before imperial approval); to act on one's own initiative before reporting to superiors

Definitions & Examples

xiān
zhǎn
hòu
zòu
 
jīng
xiàng
dòng
le
cái
xiàng
zǒng
huì
bào
 

He acted first and reported later, already launching the project before informing headquarters.

Zài
dài
 
jiāng
jūn
xiān
zhǎn
hòu
zòu
shì
yào
mào
shā
tóu
fēng
xiǎn
de
 

In ancient times, a general who executed first and reported later risked beheading.

Zhè
zhǒng
shì
néng
xiān
zhǎn
hòu
zòu
 
qián
qǐng
shì
lǐng
dǎo
 

This kind of matter cannot be handled first and reported later; you must ask for instructions from leadership in advance.

Wèi
le
jiù
rén
 
xiān
zhǎn
hòu
zòu
 
dòng
yòng
le
yuán
běn
shǔ
xiàng
de
jīn
 

In order to save people, he acted first and reported later, using funds originally allocated to other projects.