noun
Physical extremity of something long or pointed: the tip of a pen, the end of a rope, the nozzle of a hose.
ペン先が折れてしまった。
The pen tip broke.
ホースの先をバケツに入れてください。
Please put the end of the hose into the bucket.
noun
The front or leading position in a line, queue, or procession.
行列の先に並んでください。
Please line up at the front of the queue.
noun
Spatial or temporal forwardness: what lies ahead, the first to do something, or the way ahead. Often used with に or を.
彼は先に家を出た。
He left the house first.
この先の道は狭くなっている。
The road ahead gets narrow.
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
What lies ahead in time; the future. Often used in expressions like この先 or 先のことを考える.
先のことは誰にもわからない。
No one knows what the future holds.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Something that came before in time or order: a previous event, a prior notice, the last time. Often used attributively with の.
先の会議で決まったことです。
It was decided at the previous meeting.
先の日曜日に彼に会った。
I met him last Sunday.
noun, noun, used as a suffix
The place one is heading to, or where an action takes place. Common as a suffix: 旅行先 (travel destination), 連絡先 (contact address), 出張先 (business trip destination).
旅行先から絵はがきを送った。
I sent a postcard from my travel destination.
連絡先を教えてください。
Please tell me your contact address.
noun
rest; continuation; remaining part
What follows or remains: the rest of a story, the continuation of an event. Often used in phrases like 先はまた明日 (the rest is for tomorrow).
話の先が気になる。
I'm curious about the rest of the story.
noun
The other person or side in an interaction, especially in formal or business contexts. Often used as 先方 or in set phrases like 先の意向.
先の意向を確認してから返事をします。
I will reply after confirming the other party's intentions.
Rare alternative kanji; 先 is overwhelmingly preferred.
The kanji 先 originally depicts a person moving forward, giving the core meaning of 'ahead' or 'before'. The reading さき is native Japanese, and the word has been used since Old Japanese with spatial and temporal senses.