The word 祖先 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a layer of meaning about precedence in time and lineage. The first character, 祖 (zǔ), conceptually represents "forebear", "ancestor", or the founding generation of a lineage. The second, 先 (xiān), means "earlier", "prior", or "first". When placed together, 先 does not merely modify 祖 as "earlier ancestor", but the two fuse to create a single, profound concept: the collective or foundational origins of a family, clan, or people, evoking the deep, revered source from which one descends.