How to say "vanguard" in Japanese

• 前衛ぜんえいCommon
  nounThe military term for the units posted at the front of an army; by extension it also means the avant-garde of an artistic or political movement.
• 先陣せんじんCommon
  nounThe head of an army in battle — the position of going into the fight first; figuratively it is used for taking the lead in an undertaking, and it keeps a martial ring.
• 先鋒せんぽうCommon
  nounThe troops, or their commander, at the very point of an advancing army; where 先陣 stresses the role of going first, this names the leading unit or fighter itself.
• 急先鋒きゅうせんぽうCommon
  nounThe figurative word: a person or group at the forefront of a movement, driving it with particular zeal — a fervent champion or the fiercest critic; not a term for actual troops.
• 先頭せんとうJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThe plain word for the front of a line or group, and for the leading position in a race or effort; for an army's advance guard it is not the word you want.
  さあ出発しゅっぱつしよう。君くん先頭せんとうを行いきなさい。↗

  Let's start now, and you go first.

For an army's advance guard choose among 前衛, 先陣 and 先鋒; 前衛 also renders the avant-garde of art or politics, 急先鋒 a movement's zealous champion, and 先頭 the plain front of a line.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 前衛ぜんえいadvance guard
• 先陣せんじんvanguard
• 先鋒せんぽうadvance guard
• 急先鋒きゅうせんぽうvan (of a movement)
• 先頭せんとうhead (of a line, group, etc.)
• 先手さきてfront lines
• ヴァンガードvanguard
• 尖兵せんぺいvanguard
• 先遣部隊せんけんぶたいadvance troops
• 先導者せんどうしゃguide
• 先頭部隊せんとうぶたいadvance troops
• 先端せんたんforefront
• 一陣いちじんvanguard
• トップランナーvanguard (of a person)