ChiramiN5 kanji · 6 strokes
先 means ahead, earlier
先
先Real origin
It began as a foot stepping out ahead of a person: ahead, earlier.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- before, ahead, previous, future
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 6
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) さき saki
さき (saki) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
Other Japanese readings: まず mazu
From Chinese (onyomi) セン sen
セン (sen) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
先生 せんせい · sensei
teacher, instructor
Built from
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
Quick check
What does 先 mean?
Right: 先 means ahead, earlier.Not quite: 先 means ahead, earlier.In 先生, which reading does 先 use?
Right. 先生 is read せんせい (sensei): 先 takes セン, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 先生 is read せんせい (sensei): 先 takes セン, its reading from Chinese.