事先
shì xiān HSK 5

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

我们事先准备好了所有材料。
Wǒmen shìxiān zhǔnbèi hǎo le suǒyǒu cáiliào.
We prepared all the materials in advance.
请事先告诉我你的计划。
Qǐng shìxiān gàosu wǒ nǐ de jìhuà.
Please tell me your plan beforehand.
他事先不知道这个消息。
Tā shìxiān bù zhīdào zhège xiāoxi.
He didn't know this news in advance.
我们事先准备。
Wǒmen shìxiān zhǔnbèi.
We prepared in advance.
他事先通知我。
Tā shìxiān tōngzhī wǒ.
He notified me beforehand.

💡 Memory Tip

Break it down: 事 means 'matter' or 'event,' and 先 means 'first' or 'before.' So, 事先 literally means 'matter before'—think of handling things before they happen.

📝 Usage Notes

It is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, in formal and informal contexts. It often appears in discussions about planning, warnings, or arrangements, such as in work, travel, or social events.

📖 Grammar Points

事先 is typically used as an adverbial modifier before a verb, e.g., '事先 + Verb' as in '事先准备' (prepare in advance). It can also be used in sentences like '在...事先' to emphasize timing, though it's less common.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, emphasizing 事先 reflects values of foresight and responsibility, as it's considered polite and prudent to make arrangements or give notice ahead of time in social and professional settings.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 提前, which also means 'in advance,' 事先 focuses more on the preparatory aspect before an event, while 提前 can imply doing something earlier than scheduled. 事先 is often used as a noun or adverb in phrases, whereas 提前 is more adverbial.

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