“Before” or “Ahead” in Japanese kanji, and the Stroke Order and Meanings of Kanji “先”
Japanese Jouyou-kanji “先” means “Earlier”, “In advance” or “Future” etc.
Jouyou Kanji “先”
Jouyou Kanji “先” Stroke Order
| Stroke # | 6 Strokes |
|---|---|
| On-Yomi | せん(sen) |
| Kun-Yomi | さき(saki) |
| ま(ず)(ma(zu)) | |
| Meanings | Before, In advance, Former, Last, Previous |
| Forward, First of all | |
| Ancestor, Forefathers | |
| Precede, Go ahead, Forestall |
Kanji words which contain Kanji “先”, and their meanings
| Words | Meanings |
|---|---|
| 先駆け(さきがけ-sa ki ga ke) | ① Ahead of the times, Pioneer, Initiative, Forerunner, ② Leading an attack, Charging ahead of others (towards the enemy) |
| 先立つ(さきだつ-sa ki da tsu) | Go ahead of, Go before, Come before, Preceding |
| 先走り(さきばしり-sa ki ba shi ri) | ① Act lightly before others, Act first according to the uncertain information, ② Omen, Sign, ③ Lowest rank soldier |
| 先払い(さきばらい-sa ki ba ra i) | Payment in advance, Pay first |
| 先んずれば人を制す(さきんずればひとをせいす-sa ki n zu re ba hi to wo se i su) | The early bird gets the worm, First come, first served |
| 先鋭 or 尖鋭(せんえい-se n e i) | Sharp, Radical |
| 先王(せんおう-se n o u) | The late king, The preceding king |
| 先覚(せんかく-se n ka ku) | Learned man, Pioneer |
| 先議(せんぎ-se n gi) | Prior consideration, Initiative |
| 先客(せんきゃく-se n kya ku) | Earlier visitor, Preceding visitor |
| 先駆者(せんくしゃ-se n ka ku sha) | Forerunner, Precursor, Ancestor, Herald |
| 先君(せんくん-se n ku n) | Previous ruler, Ancestors |
| 先決(せんけつ-se n ke tsu) | Settle something beforehand, Prior settlement |
| 先見(せんけん-se n ke n) | Forecast, Anticipation |
| 先賢(せんけん-se n ke n) | Ancient sage |
| 先後(せんご-se n go) | ① Before and after, Earlier and later, Order, Sequence, ② Occurring almost simultaneously, Inversion (of order) |
| 先行(せんこう-se n ko u) | ① Going ahead, Going first, ② Preceding, Coming before, Being ahead (e.g. of the times)Occurring first, Happening prior, ③ Scoring first, Getting off to a lead |
| 先攻(せんこう-se n ko u) | Batting first |
| 先考(せんこう-se n ko u) | One’s late father, One’s deceased father |
| 先刻(せんこく-se n ko ku) | A short while ago, Just now |
| 先妻(せんさい-se n sa i) | One’s former divorced wife, Ex-wife |
| 先師(せんし-se n shi) | Former teacher |
| 先史時代(せんしじだい-se n shi ji da i) | Prehistoric times, Prehistoric era |
| 先日(せんじつ-se n ji tsu) | The other day, A few days ago |
| 先手(せんて-se n te) | ① Moving first, Person with the first move, ② Moving first, Person with the first move, ③ Smith helper, Forestalling |
| 先取(せんしゅ-se n shu) | Preemption, Take in advance |
| 先住(せんじゅう-se n ju u) | Original inhabitant, Aboriginal |
| 先住民族(せんじゅうみんぞく-se n ju u mi n zo ku) | Indigenous people, Aborigines, Indigenes |
| 先唱(せんしょう-se n sho u) | Act of expressing an opinion before others, Speaking before others |
| 先勝(せんしょう-se n sho u) | ① Winning the first game, ② Day that is lucky in the morning but not in the afternoon (in the traditional calendar) |
| 先蹤(せんしょう-se n sho u) | Traces of a predecessor’s deeds, Precedent |
| 先進(せんしん-se n shi n) | ① Advanced, Developed, ② Seniority, Senior, Superior, Elder |
| 先人(せんじん-se n ji n) | Predecessor, Pioneer, Ancestor |
| 先陣(せんじん-se n ji n) | Vanguard, Advance guard |
| 先生(せんせい-se n se i) | ① Teacher, Instructor, Master, ② Sensei; title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc, ③ (Orig. meaning) one’s elder |
| 先制(せんせい-se n se i) | Head start, Initiative, Preemption |
| 先聖(せんせい-se n se i) | Ancient sage (esp. Confucius) |
| 先祖(せんぞ-se n zo) | Ancestor, Forefather, Foremother |
| 先代(せんだい-se n da i) | Previous generation, Predecessor |
| 先達(せんだつ-se n da tsu) | ① Leader, Pioneer, Precursor, Senior figure, ② Guide, ③ Leader (in Shugendō) |
| 先端 or 尖端(せんたん-se n ta n) | ① Pointed end, Tip, Point, Cusp (of a leaf, crescent moon etc), Apex (of a curve), ② Forefront, Vanguard, Spearhead, Leading edge |
| 先着(せんちゃく-se n cha ku) | Arriving first |
| 先朝(せんちょう-se n cho u) | Former emperor, Late emperor |
| 先帝(せんてい-se n te i) | Late emperor, Preceding emperor |
| 先天(せんてん-se n te n) | Congenital, Inborn, Innate |
| 先天的(せんてんてき-se n te n te ki) | Congenital, Inborn, Innate |
| 先途(せんど-se n do) | ① Future ahead, Journey ahead, ② Brink, Decisive point |
| 先登(せんとう-se n to u) | ① Forefront, Vanguard, Cutting edge, ② Point, Head |
| 先頭(せんとう-se n to u) | Front, Lead, Forefront, Vanguard, Head (of a line, group etc) |
| 先導(せんどう-se n do u) | Piloting, Guidance, Leadership, Leading the way |
| 先入(せんにゅう-se n nyu u) | ① First‐in, Preconception, ② Prejudice |
| 先入観(せんにゅうかん-se n nyu u ka n) | Preconception, Prejudice |
| 先任(せんにん-se n ni n) | Predecessor, Seniority |
| 先年(せんねん-se n ne n) | Last year, Former years, A few years ago |
| 先輩(せんぱい-se n pa i) | Senior (at work or school), Elder |
| 先発(せんぱつ-se n pa tsu) | ① Starting in advance, Starting first, Going first, Going ahead, ② Starting (in team sports) |
| 先番(せんばん-se n ba n) | Precedence, First move (in games) |
| 先般(せんぱん-se n pa n) | Some time ago, The other day, Recently |
| 先非(せんぴ-se n pi) | Past misdeed, Past error, Past folly, Past sin |
| 先便(せんびん-se n bi n) | Previous letter, Last letter |
| 先鞭(せんべん-se n be n) | Initiative, Pioneering |
| 先方(せんぽう-se n po u) | ① Other side, Other party, ② Ahead, In front, ③ Destination |
| 先鋒(せんぽう-se n po u) | ① Advance guard, Vanguard, ② Athlete who competes in the first match of a team competition (kendo, judo etc) |
| 先務(せんむ-se n mu) | Most important task, Most pressing task, Urgent business |
| 先約(せんやく-se n ya ku) | Previous engagement, Previous appointment |
| 先憂後楽(せんゆうこうらく-se n yu u ko u ra ku) | Worrying before one’s people worry, enjoying oneself only after one’s people have enjoyed themselves (a precept to be observed by a ruler) |
| 先例(せんれい-se n re i) | Precedent, Previous instance |
| 先ず隗より始めよ(まずかいよりはじめよ-ma zu ka i yo ri ha ji me yo) | ① Start with the first step, When embarking on a great project, start with immediate steps, ② Whoever suggest should start |
| 機先(きせん-ki se n) | Moment just before something happens, Verge (of doing something), Brink |
| 祖先(そせん-so se n) | Ancestor, Forefather, Progenitor |
| 率先(そっせん-so sse n) | Taking the initiative |
| 優先(ゆうせん-yu u se n) | Preference, Priority, Precedence |
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