先 xiān — early; prior; former; in advance; first
请你先走，我马上就来。Qǐng nǐ xiān zǒu, wǒ mǎ shàng jiù lái.Please go first; I will come right away.
Common words: 先生 (xiān sheng)、首先 (shǒu xiān)、领先 (lǐng xiān)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "in advance"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "in advance", including 先 (xiān), 预 (yù). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "in advance" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 先 (xiān), 预 (yù) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span xiān, yù — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 先 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 先 xiānearly; prior; former; in advance; firstUseful words: 先生, 首先
- 预 yùto advance; in advance; beforehand; to prepareUseful words: 预计, 预防
Common words for these 2 "in advance" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 先 (xiān) — so "in advance" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "in advance".
预 yù — to advance; in advance; beforehand; to prepare
天气预报说明天有雨。Tiān qì yù bào shuō míng tiān yǒu yǔ.The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow.
Common words: 预计 (yù jì)、预防 (yù fáng)、预报 (yù bào)
All 2 characters
Open 先、预 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.