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先

先 — before, ahead, previous

Learn the correct stroke order for 先 (before), a 6-stroke kanji.

JLPT N5Grade 16 strokes

Stroke Order

123456
Stroke 0 / 6
On'yomi (音読み)センsen
Kun'yomi (訓読み)さきsaki、ま.ずmazu
Strokes6
Radical儿
Frequency#173
Meaningsbefore, ahead, previous, future, precedence

Step-by-Step Diagram

1
2
3
4
5
6

Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 6 — start from the green dot

Common Words

軒先のきさきedge of the eaves; house frontagenoun
口先くちさきlip service; mere words; professionsnoun
指先ゆびさきfingertip; fingernoun
春先はるさきbeginning of springnoun
刃先はさきedge of bladenoun
先ずまずfirst (of all); firstly; to begin withadverb

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 先 (before) is taught in grade 1 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N5 level. It has 6 strokes with radical 儿.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 先 is #173, making it one of the most commonly used kanji.

Example Words in Context

軒先のきさき — edge of the eaves; house frontage
口先くちさき — lip service; mere words; professions
指先ゆびさき — fingertip; finger

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (儿)

元beginning兄elder brother光ray充allot兆portent児newborn babe克overcome免excuse

Same reading

山mountain川stream千thousand

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 先 have?

The kanji 先 (before) has 6 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 先?

先 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 先 mean?

先 means: before, ahead, previous, future, precedence. On'yomi readings: セン. Kun'yomi readings: さき, ま.ず.

What JLPT level is 先?

先 is a JLPT N5 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.