| Change log entry 93804 | |
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| Processed by: | richwarm (2026-02-27 04:39:33 UTC) |
| Comment: |
<< review queue entry 85965 - submitted by 'becky82' >> I just want to change the wording slightly here, because I don't think it's "fearing to be last" but rather "fearing 落后, i.e., lagging behind": - 抢着向前，唯恐落后。 https://cd.hwxnet.com/view/okmoggmnaigcmgnf.html - 争先恐后”指竞相抢先而不肯落后 https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%89%E5%85%88%E6%81%90%E5%90%8E/1663456 (I'm not sure what the correct pinyin syntax is here.) -------------------- Editor: 0) Yes, that's how we handle the pinyin for this sort of symmetrical four-character idiom -- with a hyphen in the middle. 1a) "striving to be first" suggests deliberate, sustained effort, whereas 争先恐后 typically describes spontaneous, competitive crowd behavior. 1b) "outdoing one another" captures the competitive element, but misses the urgency and forward momentum inherent in 争先恐后. 2) I agree with your point about the literal meaning, but I would drop the quasi-literal gloss in this particular case and go straight to natural English. The components 争先 and 恐后 are transparent enough for advanced users, while beginners don't really benefit from a slightly awkward literal rendering that precedes clearer, idiomatic glosses reflecting actual usage. 3) TP examples: Tourists buying peaches 观光客买起水蜜桃，争先恐后 Fish chasing bait 整个狼群就会争先恐后盲目随后追食过来 Skyscrapers in Hong Kong 大楼，争先恐后地往天空延伸 Children behaving politely 没有人争先恐后 Rain falling 雨点争先恐后地落在屋顶 Refugees at airport 争先恐后的推挤 |
| Diff: |
- 爭先恐後 争先恐后 [zheng1 xian1 kong3 hou4] /striving to be first and fearing to be last (idiom); outdoing one another/ # + 爭先恐後 争先恐后 [[zheng1xian1-kong3hou4]] /striving to be first and fearing falling behind (idiom); outdoing one another/ + 爭先恐後 争先恐后 [[zheng1xian1-kong3hou4]] /(idiom) to compete to be first; to scramble to get ahead; to rush forward for fear of falling behind/ |