先さきほど来らい

Meanings

1

since a little while ago; for a while now

Indicates that a state or action has been continuing from a short time ago up to the present. Often used in formal or written contexts.

先さきほど来らい、雨あめが降ふり続つづいている。
It has been raining since a little while ago.
先さきほど来らい、電でん話わが鳴なりっぱなしだ。
The phone has been ringing non-stop for a while now.

Kanji

先before, ahead, previous
来come, due, next
程extent, degree, law

Related words

さっきから
More casual and common in spoken Japanese. 先ほど来 is more formal and often used in writing or polite speech.
先さきほど
Means 'a little while ago' as a point in time, while 先ほど来 emphasizes continuation from that point until now.

Built from

先さきほど+来らい

Written forms

先さきほど来らい
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling. 先ほど (a while ago) + 来 (since).
先さき程ほど来らい
Variant using 程 for ほど. Less common but seen.
先さきほどらい
All-kana spelling. Rarely used; the kanji 来 is normally written.

Etymology

Compound of 先ほど (sakihodo, 'a little while ago') + 来 (rai, 'since'). The 来 here is a Sino-Japanese suffix indicating 'since' or 'from'.