JLPT N1News and publicityProud

に先さき駆がけてahead of; as the first to

Doing something before anyone else does, or getting in early before a main event. Being first is the point, so it is a word of news and publicity.

研けん究きゅうチームは世せ界かいに先さき駆がけて、この病びょう気きを早そう期きに発はっ見けんする検けん査さ法ほうを開かい発はつした。

The research team was the first in the world to develop a test that detects this disease early.

映えい画がの全ぜん国こく公こう開かいに先さき駆がけて、主しゅ演えん俳はい優ゆうによる舞ぶ台たい挨あい拶さつが行おこなわれた。

Ahead of the film's nationwide release, the lead actor appeared on stage to greet the audience.

How to form it

Noun + に先駆けて

News writing often shortens it to に先さき駆がけ.

Before it: Those you get ahead of (他た社しゃ, 世せ界かい, 全ぜん国こく), or what you come before (発はつ売ばい, 公こう開かい, 開かい幕まく, 夏なつ).
After it: Something new or early: 開かい発はつした, 導どう入にゅうした, 発はつ売ばいする, 公こう開かいされた.
Tone: Proud or admiring when someone is ahead of the rest.
Where you'll meet it: News, press releases, advertising, company profiles. In conversation people say より先さきに or の前まえに.

In use

この市しは全ぜん国こくの他ほかの自じ治ち体たいに先さき駆がけて、公こう用よう車しゃをすべて電でん気き自じ動どう車しゃに切きり替かえた。

This city switched all its official vehicles to electric ones ahead of every other local government in the country.

大たい会かいの開かい幕まくに先さき駆がけて、選せん手しゅ村むらが報ほう道どう陣じんに公こう開かいされた。

Ahead of the opening of the tournament, the athletes' village was shown to the press.

春はるの観かん光こうシーズンに先さき駆がけ、駅えき前まえの案あん内ない所じょが改かい装そうされた。

Ahead of the spring tourist season, the information center in front of the station was renovated.

Two things to know

It is for something worth reporting

It claims a lead. With an everyday errand it comes out as a joke.

Sounds odd: 弟おとうとに先さき駆がけて、風ふ呂ろに入はいった。

I took my bath ahead of my little brother.

弟おとうとより先さきに.

に先さき立だって or に先さき駆がけて?

に先さき立だって is the neutral "before" a main event, usually for a step that prepares. に先さき駆がけて says someone is out in front, so ahead of other people (他た社しゃに先さき駆がけて) it is the one to use. Before an event either can turn up.

新しん型がた車しゃの発はつ売ばいに先さき立だって、安あん全ぜん性せいの最さい終しゅう確かく認にんが行おこなわれた。

Before the new model went on sale, final safety checks were carried out.

A step that prepares for the day.

新しん型がた車しゃの発はつ売ばいに先さき駆がけて、先せん行こう予よ約やくの受うけ付つけが始はじまった。

Ahead of the new model going on sale, advance orders opened.

A head start: orders open before the car is out.

Close neighbours

に先立ってN2

"Before, ahead of": something done first, to prepare for a main event or lead into it.

公こう演えんに先さき立だって、出しゅつ演えん者しゃによる記き者しゃ会かい見けんが行おこなわれた。

Ahead of the performance, the performers gave a press conference.

を皮切りにN1

The first of a run of your own, not ahead of anyone else: a tour opens in one city and goes on to the next.

全ぜん国こくツアーは福ふく岡おか公こう演えんを皮かわ切きりに、広ひろ島しま、大おお阪さか、名な古ご屋や、東とう京きょうへと続つづく。

The national tour opens in Fukuoka and goes on to Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.

Check yourself

1What does this sentence claim?

この病びょう院いんは全ぜん国こくに先さき駆がけて、オンライン診しん療りょうを始はじめた。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

先さき駆がけ by itself is a noun: a forerunner, the first of its kind.

この作さく品ひんは、日本にほんのアニメ映えい画がの先さき駆がけとなった。

This work became the forerunner of Japanese animated films.

More sentences

本ほん学がくは国こく内ないの他た大だい学がくに先さき駆がけて、全ぜん授じゅ業ぎょうの教きょう材ざいをデジタル化かした。

Our university digitized the materials for every course ahead of the other universities in the country.

新しん製せい品ひんの正せい式しき発はっ表ぴょうに先さき駆がけて、報ほう道どう関かん係けい者しゃ向むけの説せつ明めい会かいが開ひらかれた。

Ahead of the official announcement of the new product, a briefing was held for the press.