前所未有
前所未有 (qián suǒ wèi yǒu) literally means “before never having existed” and expresses “unprecedented; never seen before”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: qian suo wei you, qian suo wei you,前所未有 meaning, 前所未有 in english
Unprecedented; never seen before
Pronunciation: qián suǒ wèi yǒu Literal meaning: Before never having existed
Origin & Usage
Nothing before (前) this has (有) ever (未) been like it — 所 is the classical nominaliser holding the clause together, so the shape is that which has not previously existed. The phrase claims absolute novelty rather than rarity, and it carries the weight of a historical judgement: to say it is to say the record has been searched. Chinese officialdom and advertising both like it for exactly that reason, and constant use has worn it down, so a careful speaker saves it for things that really have no precedent.
Examples
English: "The technological breakthrough was unprecedented in human history."
Chinese: 这项技术突破在人类历史上前所未有。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
未雨绸缪
wèi yǔ chóu móu
Prepare before problems arise
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若有所思
ruò yǒu suǒ sī
Lost in thought with a contemplative expression
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防患未然
fáng huàn wèi rán
Prepare in advance
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未卜先知
wèi bǔ xiān zhī
Foresight or intuition
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各有所长
gè yǒu suǒ cháng
Different people, different strengths
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前功尽弃
qián gōng jìn qì
Efforts wasted
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理所当然
lǐ suǒ dāng rán
Naturally; as a matter of course
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不知所措
bù zhī suǒ cuò
At a loss; not knowing what to do
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 前所未有 mean in English?
前所未有 (qián suǒ wèi yǒu) literally translates to “Before never having existed” and is used to express “Unprecedented; never seen before”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 前所未有 used?
Situation: The technological breakthrough was unprecedented in human history.
What is the pinyin for 前所未有?
The pinyin pronunciation for 前所未有 is “qián suǒ wèi yǒu”.