(り) (n) (1) reason; principle; logic; (2) {Buddh} (See 事・じ) general principle (as opposed to individual concrete phenomenon); (3) (in neo-Confucianism) the underlying principles of the cosmos; (P) [EDICT]
(ことわり) (n) (See 道理) reason; truth; way of things; justice [EDICT]
(lǐ, ㄌㄧˇ) texture; grain (of wood); inner essence; intrinsic order; reason; logic; truth; science; natural science (esp. physics); to manage; to pay attention to; to run (affairs); to handle; to put in order; to tidy up [CE-DICT]
先
(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]
(cóng, ㄘㄨㄥˊ) from; to obey; to observe; to follow; surname Cong [CE-DICT]
(zòng, ㄗㄨㄥˋ) second cousin [CE-DICT]
事
(こと(P);こん) (n) (1) thing; matter; (2) incident; occurrence; event; something serious; trouble; crisis; (3) circumstances; situation; state of affairs; (4) work; business; affair; (5) after an inflectable word, creates a noun phrase indicating something the speaker does not feel close to; (n-suf) (6) (See 事・ごと・1) nominalizing suffix; (7) (See 事・ごと・2) pretending to ...; playing make-believe ...; (P) [EDICT]
(ごと) (suf) (1) (See 事・こと・6) nominalizing suffix; (2) (See 事・こと・7) pretending to ...; playing make-believe ... [EDICT]
(じ) (n) {Buddh} (See 理・2) individual concrete phenomenon (as opposed to a general principle) [EDICT]