祖先
zǔxiān · HSK 7
forefathers
👴🌳 祖 ancestor + 先 prior/earlier = the forebears who came first
先 — 𠂉 (person variant) on top + 儿 (legs) below
先 originally depicted a person with a foot or step shown above the legs 儿, suggesting someone walking ahead. From this image of going before others came the meanings 'first,' 'earlier,' and 'ahead.' The modern shape preserves the 'legs' radical underneath.