首屈一指

Chinese

		head; chief; first (occasion) head; chief; first (occasion); first (thing); measure word for poems	bent; feel wronged	one; single; a one; single; a; (before verbs) as soon as, once; (before a noun) entire (family, etc.)	finger; to point; to direct finger; to point; to direct; to indicate
trad. (首屈一指)		首	屈	一	指
simp. #(首屈一指)		首	屈	一	指
Literally: “the first bent finger”.

Etymology

In Chinese culture, one common method of counting is to begin with an open hand, then begin folding the fingers into the palm starting with the thumb.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shǒuqūyīzhǐ

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄡˇ ㄑㄩ ㄧ ㄓˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sau² wat¹ jat¹ zi²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shǒuqūyīzhǐ [Phonetic: shǒuqūyìzhǐ]
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄡˇ ㄑㄩ ㄧ ㄓˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shǒucyuyijhǐh
    • Wade–Giles: shou³-chʻü¹-i¹-chih³
    • Yale: shǒu-chyū-yī-jř
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shoouchiuijyy
    • Palladius: шоуцюйичжи (šoucjujičži)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: sau² wat¹ jat¹ zi²
    • Yale: sáu wāt yāt jí
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sau² wat⁷ jat⁷ dzi²
    • Guangdong Romanization: seo² wed¹ yed¹ ji²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐu̯³⁵ wɐt̚⁵ jɐt̚⁵ t͡siː³⁵/

Idiom

首屈一指

1. first

   • 開通網路共享救助訊息，這一做法不僅在成都尚屬首次，在全國也是首屈一指。 [MSC, trad.]
     开通网路共享救助讯息，这一做法不仅在成都尚属首次，在全国也是首屈一指。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2006: anon., www.chinainfo.gov.cn

     Kāitōng wǎnglù gòngxiǎng jiùzhù xùnxī, zhè yī zuòfǎ bùjǐn zài Chéngdū shàng shǔ shǒucì, zài quánguó yě shì shǒuqūyīzhǐ. [Pinyin]

     Not only is this a first for Chengdu in terms of sharing help information over the net, it is the first in the country.

2. number one; come first on the list; be matchless; be second to none; come out first; thumbs up

   • 苗族的銀飾在各民族的首飾中首屈一指 [MSC, trad.]
     苗族的银饰在各民族的首饰中首屈一指 [MSC, simp.]

     From: undated: anon., www.ccnt.com.cn

     miáozú de yín shì zài gè mínzú de shǒushì zhōng shǒuqūyīzhǐ [Pinyin]

     The silver jewelry of the Hmong people comes in first place out of all of ethnic jewelry.