Kanji1 / 6
先 kanji
before, ahead, previous, future, precedence
- JLPT level
- N5 (unofficial)
- First appears in
- N5 vocabulary
- Strokes
- 6
- School grade
- Grade 1 (elementary school)
On readings
セン
Kun readings
さきまず
Words with 先
LevelWord & meaningActions
- —先聖ancient sage (esp. Confucius)
- —先達leader; pioneer; precursor; senior figure; guide; leader (in Shugendō)
- —先知foresight; speedy comprehension
- —先帝the late emperor; preceding emperor
- —先哲ancient wise men
- —先途critical moment; critical juncture; decisive point; path ahead; future
- —先度recently
- —先投starting pitcher
- —先入preconception; prejudice
- —先任seniority; predecessor
- —先年former years; formerly; a few years ago
- —先番precedence; first move (in games)
- —先非past misdeed; past error; past folly; past sin
- —先父deceased father
- —先負day that is unlucky in the morning and lucky in the afternoon (in the traditional calendar); day on which judgment and haste should be avoided
- —先便previous letter
- —先鞭initiative; pioneering
- —先鋒advance guard; vanguard; athlete who competes in the first match of a team competition (kendo, judo, etc.)
- —先務most important task; most pressing task; urgent business
- —先夜the other night; a few nights ago