首當其衝

Chinese

		head; chief; first (occasion) head; chief; first (occasion); first (thing); measure word for poems	to act as; represent; equal to act as; represent; equal; should; fitting; suitable; adequate; proper; replace; to be; to hold a position; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; match equally; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at	his; her; its his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it)	of great force; towards; dash against
trad. (首當其衝)		首	當	其	衝
simp. (首当其冲)		首	当	其	冲

Etymology

Formed based on a line in the Book of Han:

鄭當其衝，不能修德。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

郑当其冲，不能修德。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

Zhèng dāng qí chōng, bùnéng xiū dé. [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this usage example)

First attested in the Draft History of Qing:

歐艦東來，粵東首當其衝。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

欧舰东来，粤东首当其冲。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: 1929, Zhao Erxun (lead editor), Draft History of Qing

Ōu jiàn dōng lái, Yuèdōng shǒudāngqíchōng. [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shǒudāngqíchōng

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄡˇ ㄉㄤ ㄑㄧˊ ㄔㄨㄥ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sau² dong¹ kei⁴ cung¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shǒudāngqíchōng
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄡˇ ㄉㄤ ㄑㄧˊ ㄔㄨㄥ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shǒudangcíchong
    • Wade–Giles: shou³-tang¹-chʻi²-chʻung¹
    • Yale: shǒu-dāng-chí-chūng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shooudangchyichong
    • Palladius: шоуданцичун (šoudancičun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: sau² dong¹ kei⁴ cung¹
    • Yale: sáu dōng kèih chūng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sau² dong¹ kei⁴ tsung¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: seo² dong¹ kéi⁴ cung¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐu̯³⁵ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ kʰei̯²¹ t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵/

Idiom

首當其衝

1. to be the first to suffer (attack or disaster)

   • 特別是文化人和青年學生，感覺銳敏，首當其衝。 [MSC, trad.]
     特别是文化人和青年学生，感觉锐敏，首当其冲。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1940, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《新民主主義論》 (On New Democracy), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

     Tèbié shì wénhuàrén hé qīngnián xuéshēng, gǎnjué ruìmǐn, shǒudāngqíchōng. [Pinyin]

     Most susceptible, and the first to be affected, are the intellectuals and the young students.

2. (neologism, proscribed) taking the lead; first
3. (neologism, proscribed) more important, crucial or prominent