优先
Traditional: 優先
yōu xiān HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

老人和儿童优先上车。
Lǎorén hé értóng yōuxiān shàng chē.
The elderly and children board the bus first.
公司优先考虑员工的健康。
Gōngsī yōuxiān kǎolǜ yuángōng de jiànkāng.
The company prioritizes employees' health.
紧急任务需要优先处理。
Jǐnjí rènwù xūyào yōuxiān chǔlǐ.
Urgent tasks need to be handled first.
安全必须优先。
Ānquán bìxū yōuxiān.
Safety must come first.
我们优先考虑质量。
Wǒmen yōuxiān kǎolǜ zhìliàng.
We prioritize quality.

💡 Memory Tip

Break the characters: 优 (yōu) means 'excellent' or 'superior,' and 先 (xiān) means 'first.' Think: 'The excellent ones go first'—this captures the idea of priority based on merit or status.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in formality and is common in both spoken and written Chinese. It is frequently used in formal contexts like business, policy, rules, and procedures (e.g., job recruitment, customer service, project management) to describe preferential treatment or order.

📖 Grammar Points

Commonly used in the pattern: Subject + 优先 + Verb (e.g., 优先考虑, 优先处理). It can also be used as a noun in compounds like 优先权 (priority right). Often appears with 会, 要, or 应该 to indicate obligation or likelihood (e.g., 会优先安排).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese social and professional contexts, demonstrating or stating 优先 often reflects hierarchical values, practical efficiency, or policy-driven decision-making. For example, in public services, signs like '老弱病残孕优先' (priority for the elderly, weak, sick, disabled, and pregnant) show a cultural emphasis on collective care and social order.

🔄 Similar Words

优先 is often compared to 首先 (shǒuxiān, 'firstly' or 'first of all'), which is more about sequence in time or list order. 优先 specifically implies a value judgment or a rule-based preference, not just temporal order. It is also related to 重点 (zhòngdiǎn, 'key point' or 'focus'), but 重点 is a noun/adjective for emphasis, while 优先 is a verb for action.

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