Kanji
先
N5
6 strokes
Grade 1
freq #173
before, ahead, previous, future, precedence
On'yomi (音読み)
セン
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
さき、 ま.ず
On'yomi compounds (音読み)
先月
せんげつ
last month
先進国
せんしんこく
developed country; advanced country
先発
せんぱつ
starting in advance; starting first
優先
ゆうせん
preference; priority
先進
せんしん
advanced; developed
先頭
せんとう
head (of a line, group, etc.); front
先行
せんこう
going ahead; going first
先週
せんしゅう
last week; the week before
先輩
せんぱい
senior (at school, work, etc.); superior
先制
せんせい
head start; initiative
Kun'yomi words (訓読み)
先に
さきに
previously; before
先送り
さきおくり
putting off (doing); postponement
先物
さきもの
futures; futures contract
先行き
さきゆき
the future; future prospects
真っ先
まっさき
the head; the foremost
Example sentences
先月（せんげつ）彼女（かのじょ）に手紙（てがみ）を書（か）いたんだけど、まだ返事（へんじ）をくれない。
I wrote a letter to her last month, but I haven't received a reply yet.
先月（せんげつ）フランスではたくさん雨（あめ）が降（ふ）った。
Last month they had a lot of rain in France.
先進国（せんしんこく）では虫歯（むしば）が激減（げきげん）し、自分（じぶん）の歯（は）で一生（いっしょう）食（た）べられる人（ひと）が増（ふ）えています。
Cavities have become rarer in the developed countries and more people will be able to eat with their own teeth throughout their life.
先進国（せんしんこく）は発展途上国（はってんとじょうこく）をもっと援助（えんじょ）すべきだ。
The countries should aid the countries much more.