Chinese word

前赴后继

Pronunciation

Pinyinqián fù hòu jì

Meaning

idiomstep forward one after another

Example

灾区的志愿者前赴后继，来帮忙。zāi qū de zhì yuàn zhě qián fù hòu jì lái bāng máng

Volunteers in the disaster area stepped forward one after another to help.

Illustration for 前赴后继 (step forward one after another)

More examples

科研项目开始后，年轻科研人员前赴后继加入团队。kē yán xiàng mù kāi shǐ hòu nián qīng kē yán rén yuán qián fù hòu jì jiā rù tuán duì

Once the research project began, young researchers joined the team one after another.

Core concept

A chain of people advances toward a challenge without leaving the work unsupported.

Common phrases

年轻人前赴后继nián qīng rén qián fù hòu jì
young people come forward one after another
报名者前赴后继bào míng zhě qián fù hòu jì
applicants apply one after another

Similar words

前仆后继qián pū hòu jì: Later people press forward one after another when those ahead fall, continuing the shared effort.
挺身而出tǐng shēn ér chū: To step forward on one's own to deal with danger or difficulty.
赴汤蹈火fù tāng dáo huǒ: To go willingly into extreme danger and face severe hardship.

Definition in Chinese

形容一批人接连上前承担任务或面对困难，凸显连续不断的投入和接替。xíng róng yì pī rén jiē lián shàng qián chéng dān rèn wù huò miàn duì kùn nán tū xiǎn lián xù bú duàn de tóu rù hé jiē tì

Word origin

前赴后继 (qiánfùhòujì, "step forward one after another") combines 前 (qián, "ahead") + 赴 (fù, "go to") with 后 (hòu, "behind") + 继 (jì, "continue"), linking forward movement with continued support.

Usage tips

English often uses a neutral sequence phrase for queues or objects, but this Chinese idiom usually focuses on people accepting responsibility in a shared effort and often carries praise.

Other meanings

face challenges in turnidiom
head there one after anotheridiom