先行

xiānxíng
  1. to start off before the others; to precede
  2. to proceed in advance

CEDICT

  1. (literary) before; previously
  2. advance; ahead of the rest
  3. before; previously
  4. in advance; beforehand
  5. short for 先行官 (xiānxíngguān, “commander of an advance unit”)
  6. to advance; to move forward
  7. to go ahead of the rest; to start off before the others

Wiktionary

  1. 走在前面。
  2. 預先施行。《老殘遊記．第五回》：「今兒可否將他們先行收監？明天定有幾個死的。等站籠出了缺，將他們補上，好不好？」也作「先事」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 先 xiān
  1. beforehand; first; earlier
  2. at first; originally
  3. for the time being; for now
  4. (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself)
2 行 xíng
  1. (bound form) to walk; to go; to travel
  2. (literary) trip; journey; visit
  3. (bound form) temporary; makeshift
  4. (bound form) current; in circulation
  5. (bound form) to do; to perform
  6. capable; competent
  7. all right; OK!; will do
  8. behavior; conduct (Taiwan pr. xìng)
  9. (literary) about to; soon

Containing this entry

先行者 xiānxíngzhě forerunner
兵馬未動，糧草先行 bīngmǎwèidòng,liángcǎoxiānxíng
  1. before the troops move, fodder and provisions go first (idiom); logistics comes before military maneuvers
  2. an army marches on its stomach
先行官 xiānxíngguān