先端
せんたん · sentan · JLPT N2 · noun
end
📌 先 = ahead + 端 = end/edge, so 先端 = the edge that sits furthest ahead = tip
先 (saki) means ahead or first, and 端 (tan) means edge or end. Together, 先端 names the end that points furthest forward, which is the tip of something.
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.
端 — 立 stand + 耑 (phonetic, sprout)
端 combines 立 'to stand' with phonetic 耑, which originally depicted a plant sprouting with roots and shoots — its tips at both ends. The semantic 立 reinforces 'upright,' giving 端 meanings like 'end, tip, extremity' and by extension 'upright, proper.'