先后

xiān hòu

HSK 3.0 Level 5 Noun Uncommon

Definitions

1. early or late
2. priority
3. in succession
4. one after another

Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 同时 tóng shí 同时 tóng shí at the same time 同时 means 'at the same time', opposite of 'one after another'.: at the same time

Related words

2 items

• 次序 cì xù 次序 cì xù sequence; order 次序 means 'order' or 'sequence', related to the idea of priority or succession.: sequence; order
• 逐一 zhú yī 逐一 zhú yī one by one 逐一 means 'one by one', emphasizing the sequential action similar to 先后.: one by one

Synonyms

1 item

• 前后 qián hòu 前后 qián hòu around 前后 also means 'in succession' or 'one after another', but 先后 often implies a chronological order.: around

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used with 顺序 (order) or in the pattern 先后+verb (e.g., 先后到达 'arrived one after another').

Common mistakes

先后 is used as an adverb meaning 'successively' or 'one after another', not as a noun like 'order' or 'sequence'. Do not say *这件事的先后很重要.

Example Sentences

1 shown

他们 先后 到达了机场。

They arrived at the airport one after another.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 先后

• 先后顺序 先后顺序 xiān hòu shùn xù: order of priority
• 按时间先后 按时间先后 àn shí jiān xiān hòu: chronological

Child Words of 先后

• 先 先 xiān: early
• 后 后 hòu: empress