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1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 先 refers to a position ahead or an earlier time or order and is read さき as an independent word.
• Basic usage: 道の先 refers to a point farther along a road, while 先日(せんじつ) refers to the other day.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Earlier than whom
  • In 私より先に弟が家を出ました, より marks the speaker as the point of comparison. The younger brother left home earlier than the speaker.