Japanese word

先端

Pronunciation

Romajisentan

Meaning

  • nountip

Example

鉛筆の先端が折れました。en pitsu no sen tan ga o re ma shi ta

The tip of the pencil broke.

Illustration for 先端 (tip)

More examples

はさみの先端は丸く加工されています。ha sa mi no sen tan wa maru ku ka kō sa re te i ma su

The tip of the scissors is rounded.

Core concept

It identifies the foremost part of an object, where its length or direction comes to an end.

Common phrases

  • 先端技術sen tan gi jutsu

    cutting-edge technology

  • 先端を研ぐsen tan o to gu

    sharpen the tip

  • 鋭い先端surudo i sen tan

    sharp tip

Similar words

先っぽsakippo: An informal word for the foremost end or tip of an object.
端hashi: The end or edge of an object, which may be flat or broad rather than pointed.

Definition in Japanese

物の長さや方向の最も先にある部分。mono no naga sa ya hō kō no motto mo saki ni a ru bu bun

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound 先端 (sentan) combines 先 (sen, "front") and 端 (tan, "end"), giving the sense of the foremost end.

Usage tips

  • The compound 先端技術 (sentan gijutsu) means cutting-edge technology, extending the idea of a foremost edge to the leading front of innovation.

Other meanings

  • pointnoun

Opposites

  • 根元nemotobasenoun

Related words

  • 先端的sentantekicutting-edgena-adjective

Word lists with this word