Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.
原yuánformer
厂cliff · hǎnMeaning part
泉spring · quánSound part
厂 hints at the meaning (cliff); 泉 (quán) hints at the sound. Compare it with yuán.
先xiānbeforehand; first; earlier
先 is a single shape of 6 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.
Memory aidA foot 止 out in front of a person 儿: ahead, first.
How to write 原先
原 10 strokes · 先 6 strokes
Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.
Stroke order chart for 原先 (yuánxiān). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
原先 (yuánxiān) means “originally” or “formerly”. It is an HSK 6 word.
Say it yuánxiān: yuán with a 2nd tone, then xiān with a 1st tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 原先 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type yuanxian with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 原先 from the suggestions. Typing yuanxian into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
原先 is an HSK 6 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.
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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences written by WillyChina. Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.
原yuán2nd tone, rising
先xiān1st tone, high and level
