Chinese–EnglishWith examples

原先

yuán xiān · yuan xian

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 5Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. originally
  2. original
  3. former
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In a conversation

0:12 cartoon

The shop on the corner

  1. Dengdeng

    这(zhè)家(jiā)店(diàn)原先(yuánxiān)是(shì)卖(mài)书(shū)的(de)。

    This shop used to sell books.

  2. Liangliang

    现在(xiànzài)卖(mài)什么(shénme)？

    What does it sell now?

  3. Dengdeng

    现在(xiànzài)卖(mài)花(huā)。

    Flowers now.

  4. Liangliang

    原先(yuánxiān)的(de)老板(lǎobǎn)呢(ne)？

    Where is the former owner?

  5. Dengdeng

    还是(háishi)他(tā)，他(tā)说(shuō)花(huā)比(bǐ)书(shū)好卖(hǎomài)。

    Still him. He says flowers sell better than books.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)原(yuán)先(xiān)打(dǎ)算(suàn)坐(zuò)火(huǒ)车(chē)去(qù)，后(hòu)来(lái)改(gǎi)乘(chéng)飞(fēi)机(jī)了(le)。

I originally planned to go by train, but later switched to flying.

02

这(zhè)栋(dòng)楼(lóu)原(yuán)先(xiān)是(shì)一(yì)家(jiā)医(yī)院(yuàn)，现(xiàn)在(zài)改(gǎi)成(chéng)了(le)学(xué)校(xiào)。

This building was originally a hospital, but now it has been converted into a school.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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