先

ONせん

KUNさき

Meanings

beforeaheadpreviousfuture

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Seen

Learned

Mastered

Perfect

How to remember

This kanji looks like a person with a head (top part) and legs stepping forward (bottom part). This motion suggests moving 'AHEAD' or going 'BEFORE' others.

'SEN' — Think of 'SENding' someone 'AHEAD' or 'BEFORE' you.

Vocabulary

先生せんせい

teacher

先週せんしゅう

last week

先日せんじつ

the other day

先さき

destination, point ahead

先にさきに

before, first

Related kanji

前後生週日来