tiên vi chủ, hậu vi khách
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
First the host, then the guest — precedence at the door, deference at the table.
Literally: first as host, after as guest
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “tiên vi chủ, hậu vi khách” mean?
First the host, then the guest — precedence at the door, deference at the table. Literally: first as host, after as guest
Is “tiên vi chủ, hậu vi khách” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.