zi1 sin1之先

Jyutpingzi1 sin1

Yalejī sīn

Definition

Before; prior to; ahead of.

colloquialtime

How it's used

之先 functions as a temporal marker indicating a point in time prior to a specific event or reference frame. It carries a slightly more formal or emphatic tone compared to the common 之前. It is frequently used to emphasize that an action was completed well in advance of the current situation.

Examples

ngo5我zi1之sin1先ji5已ging1經maai5買zo2咗fei1飛laa3喇。

I already bought the tickets long before.

nei5你zi1之sin1先hai6係mai6咪heoi3去gwo3過jat6日bun2本aa4呀？

Had you been to Japan long before?

Common phrases

zi1之sin1先gong2講gwo3過

mentioned long before

zi1之sin1先zeon2準bei6備

prepared well in advance

Common mistake

Learners often confuse 之先 with 之前. While 之前 is the standard, everyday way to say before, 之先 is more specific to emphasizing the duration or the distance in time between two events.