第一
dì yī
First
第一 (dì yī) is used to express "first" or "number one" in a sequence, ranking, or order. It indicates the initial position or the top rank.
What does 第一 (dì yī) mean?
第一 (dì yī) means “first” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “ordinal one.”
When to use it
Neutral and widely applicable. It can refer to the first item in a list, the first place in a competition, or the first time something happens.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “dee-EE.” The first syllable has a falling tone, and the second has a high-level tone.
Other ways to say it
- 第一次dì yī cìfirst time
- 第一名dì yī míngfirst place
- 首先shǒuxiānfirst of all
Examples
他是我们班的第一名。
tā shì wǒmen bān de dì yī míng.
He is the first place in our class.
这是我第一次来中国。
zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì lái Zhōngguó.
This is my first time coming to China.
请打开书的第一页。
qǐng dǎkāi shū de dì yī yè.
Please open to the first page of the book.
Pro tip: 第一 is commonly used to form specific phrases like 第一次 (first time) or 第一名 (first place), making it versatile for various "first" contexts.
Related phrases
二十 · Twenty一万 · Ten thousand半 · Half
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