Definition
先发制人 is a chengyu (four-character idiom) from military strategy, literally 'strike first to control the enemy'. It means launching a preemptive attack or taking the initiative early to gain an advantage over an opponent. Today it's used broadly in business, sports, and daily competition — any situation where acting sooner gives you the upper hand. It often appears in the pattern '先发制人，…' or as a standalone phrase.
f.e.
to preemptively striketo gain the initiative by acting first
Examples
- ，先发制人，。Zài zhè cì jìngzhēng zhōng, wǒmen juédìng xiān fā zhì rén, tíqián tuīchū xīn chǎnpǐn.In this competition, we decided to preemptively strike by launching the new product early.
- ，先发制人，。Xiàngqí bǐsài zhōng, tā xiān fā zhì rén, xùnsù jiāng sǐ le duìfāng.In the chess match, he seized the initiative and quickly checkmated his opponent.
- ，先发制人，。Tánpàn kāishǐ shí, wǒfāng xiān fā zhì rén, tíchū le yí gè ràng duìfāng wúfǎ jùjué de tiáojiàn.At the start of the negotiations, our side took the initiative by putting forward a condition the other party couldn't refuse.
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