Definition
首当其冲 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning 'to be the first to bear the brunt' or 'to be the most directly affected by a negative event'. The literal meaning is 'to be the first to face the assault', and it's used when someone or something suffers the most immediate impact of a disaster, criticism, or change. Unlike English 'bear the brunt', the Chinese expression emphasizes the order (first) rather than the burden itself.
f.e.
to be the first to bear the bruntto be the most directly affected (by a misfortune or attack)
Examples
- ，首当其冲。Zài zhè cì jīnróng wēijī zhōng, chuántǒng zhìzàoyè shǒu dāng shòudào zhòngdà dǎjī.During this financial crisis, traditional manufacturing bore the brunt of the heavy blow.
- ，首当其冲，。Zhèngcè biànhuà hòu, xiǎo qǐyè shǒu dāng, jīngyíng gèngjiā kùnnán.After the policy change, small businesses were the first to suffer, making their operations even more difficult.
- ，首当其冲，。Yìqíng bàofā shí, yīhù rényuán shǒu dāng, chōng zài zuì qiánxiàn.When the pandemic broke out, medical workers bore the brunt, rushing to the front lines.
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