(せん) (adj-no,n) (1) former; previous; old; (n) (2) first move (in go, shogi, etc.); opening move [EDICT]
(さき) (n,adj-no,n-suf,pref) (1) previous; prior; former; some time ago; preceding; (2) point (e.g. pencil); tip; end; nozzle; (3) head (of a line); front; (4) ahead; the other side; (5) the future; hereafter; (6) destination; (7) the other party; (P) [EDICT]
(xiān, ㄒㄧㄢ) early; prior; former; in advance; first [CE-DICT]
(こん) (n) (1) stick-to-itiveness; perseverance; persistence; (2) (See 基・き・1) radical (esp. one that tends to ionize easily); (3) {math} root; (4) {Buddh} indriya (faculty of the body having a specific function, i.e. the sensory organs) [EDICT]
(ね) (n) (1) root (of a plant); (2) root (of a tooth, hair, etc.); center (of a pimple, etc.); (3) root root (of all evil, etc.); source; origin; cause; basis; (4) one's true nature; (5) (fishing) reef; (P) [EDICT]
(gēn, ㄍㄣ) radical (chem.); root; basis; classifier for long slender objects, e.g. cigarettes, guitar strings [CE-DICT]