Rikaisama's definition of 先 includes meanings like _previous; prior; former;
some time ago_. However it also includes meanings such as _front; ahead; the
future; destination_. I am struggling to make sense of when to apply each
meaning since it seems to me that they are pretty much the two sides of the
same coin in one word. There's also 先に which can mean before; earlier than /
ahead; beyond, among others.

I've noticed that if the meaning has to do with the past, the subsequent verb
is in the past tense. This is a good starting point, but it doesn't always
help me. Am I forced to learn each usage of 先 individually or is there some
"rule" to the word that would help me identify it's meanings in different
contexts?

Thank you in advance.
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grammar words usage meaning
I am struggling with the sometimes conflicting uses of 先
# The rule between "prior" or "posterior"

You can judge the usage of `[先]{さき}` in a sentence if there is `これから` before
`先` or not.

If there is `これから`, `先` expresses the posterior time.

If there is NOT `これから`, `先` expresses the prior time.

# Exaplanation of the usage of `先`

There is a big hint that `[先]{さき}` expresses the RELATIVE past / future.

I show you how `先` is used:

> Figure 1: "I do X before I do Y."
>
> ![I do X before I do Y](https://i.stack.imgur.com/PPMhJ.png)

* * *

> Figure 2: "I'm doing X before I do Y."
>
> ![I'm doing X before I do Y](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rBtP0.png)

* * *

> Figure 3: "I did X before I do / am doing / did Y."
>
> ![I did X before I do / am doing / did Y.
> ](https://i.stack.imgur.com/nfjdM.png)

* * *

> Figure 4: "I do X in the future."
>
> ![I do X in the future](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RAlAz.png)

Please take a look at Figure 1 through 3. If you say `Yより先にXをする (I do X before
I do Y)` or simply `先にXをする (I do X before something/sometime)`, you're
mentioning that you do X before you do Y or something. ("prior" usage)

Next, please take a look at Figure 4. If you say `*これから* 先にXをする (I do X in the
future)`, you're mentioning that you do X in the future. ("posterior" usage)

The difference between the "prior" usage and "posterior" usage is that you say
with `これから` or without.

`先に` without `これから` doesn't mean future in ordinary usage.

As a result, you can judge the usage if there is `これから` or not.

# Answer to @dainichi 's comment

My answer is a point of view and doesn't cover other cases like he says.

I'd like to say that, `先` with following `に` acts like an adverb while `先`
with `が` acts like a **noun**.

## `先` with `が`

This is an idiomatic usage but not so special in terms of syntax. For example
`先が思いやられる` is passive expression and can be converted into active one.

Important: There's no usage that `先` means prior thing if `先` acts like noun.

> [先]{さき}が[思]{おも}いやられる = （[私]{わたし}は）先を思いやる (Translation: I worry about
> future.)
>
> 先が[見]{み}える = （私は）先を見る (Translation: Watching the tip of long thing. Watching
> distant place.)
>
> 先が[長]{なが}くない = 先は長くない (Translation: One has not long to live.)

This proofs that `先` acts like a noun with following `が`.

## `先` with `この`

`この` is similar to `これから` and are swap-able. It's hard to explain but `これから`
sounds more explicit and longer span of time; speaker is talking about things
to happen _from now on to far future_.

> この先、[雨]{あめ}が[降]{ふ}るだろう。 (It will rain soon.)
>
> これから先、[彼]{かれ}は[立派]{りっぱ}な[大人]{おとな}になるに[違]{ちが}いない。 (I guess he'll become a
> respectable person.)
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I think, similar to 前{まえ}, it depends on the context. Maybe you could compare
it to the English "before".

You might say (in a bit older-style English),

> She lay the gift **before** him. ( _physically **in front of** him_)

But you could also say,

> Page 50 is **before** page 51. ( _physically **preceding** page 51_)

There is some ambiguity in the usage if you try to restrict the idea to "in
front of" or "behind". It really depends on which way you're meant to be
facing in the context.

I believe that the most common mental image for さき is the tip of a spear,
brush or pen if that helps. Also, it's easy to confuse さっき (which is always
the past or previous) with さき which could be either denote _past, future, in
front, behind, next_ or _previous_ depending on the context.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rxJ8c.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rxJ8c.png)[![enter
image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RVc5N.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/RVc5N.png)
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