English–Chinese
“scramble to be first” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinzhēng xiān kǒng hòu
Example
上课前学生们争先恐后地发言。shàng kè qián xué shēng men zhēng xiān kǒng hòu dì fā yán
Before class, the students scramble to be the first to speak.
How to say “scramble to be first” in Chinese
“Scramble to be first” in Chinese is 争先恐后 (zhēng xiān kǒng hòu).
Many people rush to the front together, pulled by the wish to lead and the fear of being left behind.
Example sentences with 争先恐后
新政策一出台，许多人争先恐后地报名参加。xīn zhèng cè yì chū tái xǔ duō rén zhēng xiān kǒng hòu dì bào míng cān jiā
As soon as the new policy was announced, many people scrambled to sign up.
Tips for using 争先恐后
- In conversation, the expression can sound neutral when highlighting lively participation, but the surrounding context can make the same competition seem excessive.