JLPT N5 kanji. Readings, meaning, and how the character is built.
先 means ahead, previous. It is a JLPT N5 kanji written in 6 strokes, read さき or せん. It appears in 先生 (teacher) and 先月 (last month).
先 is written in 6 strokes, in the order numbered below. Order matters: it is what makes handwriting legible, and it is how the character is looked up in a paper dictionary.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 先 | さき | future |
| 先生 | せんせい | teacher |
| 先月 | せんげつ | last month |
先 tends to carry the sound せん. They carry it; they do not all mean the same thing.
| Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 先 | せん | before, ahead |
| 洗 | せん | wash, inquire into |
| 銑 | せん | pig iron |
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