The New Dictionary.
Search dictionary
Chinese/Dictionary entry

先发制人

xiān fā zhì réndictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
(idiom) to gain the initiative by striking first / to preempt
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-45d888418fe054b9. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

先發制人 先发制人 [xian1 fa1 zhi4 ren2] /(idiom) to gain the initiative by striking first; to preempt/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 先發制人

  • 先
    xiān

    beforehand / first / earlier / at first / originally / for the time being / for now / (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself)

  • 发
    fā

    to send out / to show (one's feeling) / to issue / to develop / to make a bundle of money / classifier for gunshots (rounds)

    fà

    hair / Taiwan pr. [fǎ]

  • 制
    zhì

    system / to control / to regulate / to manufacture / to make

  • 人

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.