DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

前仆後繼

简前仆后继 · 繁前仆後繼

Mandarin · pinyin qián pū hòu jì

one falls, the next follows (idiom); stepping into the breach to replace fallen comrades
advancing wave upon wave

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

前: qián · in front, forward; preceding
仆: pū · fall forward; lie prostrate, prone; servant
後: hòu · behind, rear, after; descendents
繼: Look up this written character
后: hòu · queen, empress, sovereign; (simp. for 後) behind, rear, after
继: jì · continue, maintain, carry on

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

2–1–4–4 · qian2 pu1 hou4 ji4

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

5character links

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

前仆後繼 · find source passages ↗ · 前仆后继 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

cin4 fu6 hau6 gai3

Cantonese word readings for 前仆後繼. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(of a group of people) to bravely advance without fear of sacrificing

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack