Definition
首次 (shǒu cì) is a quantifier meaning 'first time' as a separate event (e.g., 首次访问). Unlike the prefix 初 (as in 初次), which attaches to nouns, 首次 stands alone and is more formal. It differs from the adverb 先 (xiān 'first, before others'), which focuses on sequence in action rather than the occurrence.
quantifier
(quantifier phrase) first timefor the first time
Examples
- 首次。Tā shǒu cì fǎngwèn le Měiguó.He visited the United States for the first time.
- 首次。Zhè shì gōngsī de shǒu cì huìyì.This is the company's first meeting.
- 首次。Wǒ shǒu cì chángshì zuò Zhōngguó cài.I tried to cook Chinese food for the first time.
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