先 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
先 carries two closely related ideas: "ahead" in space and "before / previous" in time. Think of someone standing out in front — that's the "ahead, tip, the front" sense (先 = さき, "the part out ahead"). Stretch that same idea over a calendar and "ahead of now / the part already passed" becomes "previous, last": 先週 ("last week"), 先月 ("last month").
So when you see 先〜 at the front of a time word, read it as "last / previous" (先週, 先月). When it points at a place or position, read it as "ahead / front / tip" (行き先 "destination," つくえの先 "the tip of the desk"). One kanji, two everyday jobs.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | さき | 先 (ahead, the tip), 行き先 (destination), 先に (ahead, first) |
| on'yomi | セン | 先生 (teacher), 先週 (last week), 先月 (last month), 先輩 (senior) |
Here's the rule of thumb that works for most kanji: the kun'yomi (さき) shows up when 先 stands more or less alone, often with hiragana (先に, 行き先), while the on'yomi (セン) appears inside two-kanji compound words (先生, 先週, 先月, 先輩). Spot that pattern and you can guess readings for words you haven't even met yet.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 6, written top to bottom. Start with the short upper strokes, build the middle, then finish with the two "legs" at the bottom — the last stroke is the curving leg on the right.
- Radical: the bottom part 儿 is the "legs" radical (sometimes called "human legs"). Picture a person striding forward, out ahead — a tidy hint for the "ahead / before" meaning of 先.
Recognizing 儿 is handy: you'll meet the same "legs" at the bottom of other people-related kanji like 兄 ("older brother") and 元 ("origin").
Common words using 先
Notice the reading split in action: the lone 先 and 先に take さき, while every compound (先生, 先週, 先月, 先輩) flips to セン. That's the rule of thumb above, working exactly as advertised.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは先生に漢字を習っています。
ヤッタンは せんせいに かんじを ならっています。
Yattan is learning kanji from the teacher.
先生 — the on'yomi セン reading inside a compound.
モチは先週、新しい本を買いました。
モチは せんしゅう、あたらしい ほんを かいました。
Mochi bought a new book last week.
先週 (セン) means 'last week' — 先〜 for previous time.
弟は「先に行くね」と言って走っていった。
おとうとは「さきに いくね」と いって はしっていった。
My little brother said, I'll go on ahead, and ran off.
先に — the kun'yomi さき reading, meaning 'ahead / first'.
Quick recap
- 先 = before / ahead / previous / tip; 6 strokes; "legs" radical (儿).
- さき when it stands alone (先, 先に, 行き先); セン in compounds (先生, 先週, 先月, 先輩).
- 先〜 = "last / previous" for time (先週, 先月) and "ahead / front" for space (行き先).
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 先 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 先 in 先生 vs 先に?
In 先生 it's the on'yomi セン (先生 = せんせい, 'teacher'). In 先に it's the kun'yomi さき (先に = さきに, 'ahead / first'). As a rule, compounds take the on'yomi セン.
How many strokes does 先 have?
先 has 6 strokes. The bottom part is the 儿 'legs' radical, which you'll also see in kanji like 兄 (older brother) and 元 (origin).
Why does 先 mean both 'ahead' and 'last/previous'?
The core idea is 'out in front.' In space that's 'ahead / the tip' (行き先 = destination); applied to a calendar it becomes 'the time already passed,' so 先週 is 'last week' and 先月 is 'last month'.
What does 先輩 mean?
先輩 (せんぱい) means a senior or upperclassman — someone ahead of you in school or work. It uses the on'yomi セン, the same reading as in 先生.