早先

zǎo xiān de tóng shì

早先的同事

former colleagues

zǎo xiān zhè lǐ shì yī piàn bù máo zhī dì

早先这里是一片不毛之地。

The place used to be a stretch of barren land.

bǐ zǎo xiān hǎo

比早先好

better than before

zǎo xiān tā zhù zài xiāng xia

早先他住在乡下。

He used to live in the country.

kàn nǐ xiě de zì bǐ zǎo xiān hǎo duō le

看你写的字，比早先好多了。

Your handwriting looks much better than before.

wǒ zǎo xiān méi jiàn guò tā

我早先没见过他。

I haven't seen him before.