KANJI: SEN saki (ahead, before, previous, precede, future)

ASCII Art Representation:

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Character Etymology:

By inspecting an older form of this character, it is clear that it is a combination of foot/stop with the radical for person. Stop in this character represents, by extension of its meaning, cease to be/die/death, making this character as a whole represent dead people, or ancestors.

By an association of ideas, this character also came to represent such meanings as precede, lead, tip, etc.

A Listing of All On-Yomi and Kun-Yomi Readings:

on-yomi: SEN
kun-yomi: saki ma(zu)

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: pon

English Definitions:

1. SEN: the future; priority, precedence.
2. saki(nijiru), saki(nzuru): precede; anticipate.
3. saki: point, tip, end; nozzle; head (of a line); the first priority; the future; objective, destination; sequel, remainder.
4. saki no: previous, prior.
5. saki ni: before, earlier than; ahead, beyond, away; previously; recently.
6. ma(zu): first (of all); about, almost, hardly (used with negative); anyway; well, now.
7. sen ni: formerly.
8. sen no: former, previous, old, late.

Character Index Numbers:

New Nelson: 350
Henshall: 49

Unicode Encoded Version:

先

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

先生 (sensei): sensei.
先月 (sengetsu): last month.
指先 (yubisaki): fingertip.

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A*head" (#), adv. [Pref. a- + head.]

1.

In or to the front; in advance; onward.

The island bore but a little ahead of us. Fielding.

2.

Headlong; without restraint.

L'Estrange.

To go ahead. (a) To go in advance. (b) To go on onward. (c) To push on in an enterprise. [Colloq] -- To get ahead of. (a) To get in advance of. (b) To surpass; to get the better of. [Colloq.]

© Webster 1913.