争先恐后 Traditional 爭先恐後 zhēng xiān kǒng hòu 🔊 to compete to be first HSK 7–9 + Review this word Meanings zhēng xiān kǒng hòu 爭先恐後 (idiom) to compete to be first; to scramble to get ahead; to rush forward for fear of falling behind Its characters 争zhēngto strive forHSK 5先xiānbeforehand; first; earlierHSK 3恐kǒngafraid后hòubehind; afterHSK 1