Chinese word

先回去

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiān huí qù

Meaning

  • verbgo back first

Example

我先回去了，你们慢慢聊。wǒ xiān huí qù le nǐ men màn màn liáo

I'm heading back first, so you all can take your time chatting.

Illustration for 先回去 (go back first)

More examples

我忘了钱包，就先回去拿一下。wǒ wàng le qián bāo jiù xiān huí qù ná yí xià

I forgot my wallet, so I'll go back first to get it.

Core concept

Someone breaks away from the present scene and returns in the direction of a familiar former place.

Common phrases

  • 先回去一会儿xiān huí qù yí huìr

    go back first for a while

  • 先回去拿东西xiān huí qù ná dōng xī

    go back first to get something

  • 先回去休息一下xiān huí qù xiū xī yí xià

    go back first to rest for a bit

Similar words

回去huí qù: Going back to a former or familiar place from the current location.
回家huí jiā: Going back home from another location.

Definition in Chinese

用来表示说话者先离开当前场合并返回到原来的地方或居所，常用于口语中作告别或暂时离场的表达。yòng lái biǎo shì shuō huà zhě xiān lí kāi dāng qián chǎng hé bìng fǎn huí dào yuán lái de dì fāng huò jū suǒ cháng yòng yú kóu yǔ zhōng zuò gào bié huò zàn shí lí chǎng de biǎo dá

Word origin

先 (xiān, "first") marks the order of action, while 回 (huí, "return") + 去 (qù, "go away") presents the return as movement away from the current speaker-centered location.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear "first" as part of a larger sequence, but here it commonly marks a speaker's own early exit while the remaining activity continues.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word