KaiwaGo先 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
先 means “ahead, previous”. It is written with 6 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: セン (sen). Kun’yomi: さき (saki).
How to write 先 (stroke order)
Write 先 in 6 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
General rules: top before bottom, left before right, horizontal before a vertical that crosses it, and a closing bottom stroke last. Writing in the right order makes handwriting readable and helps you count strokes when you look a kanji up.
Practice writing 先
Trace 先 over the faint model with your finger or mouse, following the stroke order above. Turn the model off to write it from memory.
Readings of 先
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | セン (sen) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | さき (saki) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 先 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 先
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 先生 | せんせい sensei | teacher | |
| 先週 | せんしゅう senshuu | last week |
先生 (sensei) means “teacher”. Also in this word: 生
先週 (senshuu) means “last week”. Also in this word: 週
FAQ
What does 先 mean in Japanese?
先 means “ahead, previous”. Common words with it are 先生 (sensei, “teacher”) and 先週 (senshuu, “last week”).
How many strokes does 先 have?
先 has 6 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 6.
How do you read 先?
The on’yomi is セン (sen) and the kun’yomi is さき (saki). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 先 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 先 is kanji number 62 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.