English–Chinese
“preface” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinxù
Example
我先读了这本书的序。wǒ xiān dú le zhè běn shū de xù
I read the preface to this book first.
How to say “preface” in Chinese
“Preface” in Chinese is 序 (xù).
A short guide at the threshold of a larger work, laying out its purpose and route before the main text begins.
Example sentences with 序
作者在书的序言里说明了写作动机。zuò zhě zài shū de xù yán lǐ shuō míng le xiě zuò dòng jī
The author explained the reason for writing in the book's preface.
Tips for using 序
- In modern Chinese, this is mainly a written-book term, so recognizing it is more useful for reading than for casual conversation.