JLPT N5 kanji · 6 strokes · #173 by frequency
先 — Before, ahead
- Meaning
- Before, ahead, previous, future, precedence, tip, end, destination
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- セン
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- さきま.ず
- Radical
- 儿
In bold: the readings to learn first.
Stroke order
6 strokes. The stroke to draw is in red; the previous ones are already in place.
Components
The pieces this kanji is built from. Recognizing them is half of understanding it.
Memory hook
The leaning cow (𠂒) dashes on its legs (儿) and passes before (先) the whole herd.
Kanzen's hook for this kanji. In the app, you can adopt another learner's or write your own.
Common vocabulary
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 先 | さき | point, tip, end |
| 先ず | まず | first (of all), firstly, to begin with |
| 先月 | せんげつ | last month |
| 真っ先 | まっさき | the head, the foremost, beginning |
| 一先ず | ひとまず | for now, for the time being, for the present |
| 先週 | せんしゅう | last week, the week before |
Sources: meanings and readings based on KANJIDIC2 and JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0) · KanjiVG strokes © Ulrich Apel (CC BY-SA 3.0) · reading selection, French translations and memory hooks: Kanzen.