先せん後ご

noun

before and after; order; sequence

Refers to temporal or logical order of events, or the sequence in which things occur. Often used in contexts like 先後関係 (chronological relationship) or 先後を争う (compete for priority).

• 事じ件けんの先せん後ご関かん係けいを明あきらかにする必ひつ要ようがある。

  We need to clarify the chronological order of the events.

• 彼かれらは先せん後ごを争あらそって出で口ぐちに向むかった。

  They rushed to the exit, competing to be first.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

occurring almost simultaneously; inversion of order

Describes two events happening so close together that their order is reversed or indistinguishable. Often used in the phrase 先後になる or 先後する. The する form is intransitive.

• 二人ふたりの到とう着ちゃくは先せん後ごになった。

  The two arrived almost at the same time (with their order unclear).

• スタートの合あい図ずで、選せん手しゅたちの飛とび出だしは先せん後ごした。

  At the starting signal, the runners took off almost simultaneously.

noun

black and white (in shogi)

Shogi term, abbreviation of 先手後手, referring to the two sides (black/white, or first/second player). Rare outside shogi contexts.

• 将しょう棋ぎでは、先せん後ごの差さが勝しょう敗はいに大おおきく影えい響きょうする。

  In shogi, the difference between playing first (black) and second (white) greatly affects the outcome.