お先に
おさきに · osakini · JLPT N2 · adverb
before
🚪 お先に = polite o + saki (ahead) + ni: going ahead of someone
Saki means the front or tip, as in 先生 (sensei, one born ahead). お先にどうぞ (osaki ni dōzo) means please go ahead, or after you. お先に失礼します (osaki ni shitsurei shimasu) means sorry for leaving before you, said when leaving work.
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.