祆
first; before; ancestor; deceased
Meanings
5 senses · 13 examplesadjective
first; earlier; before; in advance
Used to indicate temporal or sequential priority. Often contrasted with 后 (hòu, after/behind).
Please come in first.
He arrived before me.
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You should plan things out in advance.
noun
ancestor; forefather; elder generation
formalRefers to deceased family members from previous generations. Used in terms like 祖先 (ancestors) or 先人 (forefathers).
We must commemorate our ancestors.
He is an old friend of my late father.
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The previous generation laid the foundation.
adjective
deceased; late
formalHonorific prefix used before nouns referring to deceased elders or respected people. Common in formal contexts and obituaries.
My late mother passed away years ago.
This is the posthumous work of my late father.
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Our late Master Confucius
adverb
before; previously; earlier
Used as a temporal adverb to indicate a time before the present or before a specific event. Often used with 前 or 以前.
I didn't know about this matter previously.
You go ahead first, I'll follow right away.
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You must make preparations in advance.
noun
surname (Xian)
A Chinese family name.
Mr. Xian is the manager of our company.