先鋒|せんぽうsenpou[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounadvance guard; vanguard
2. noun, sportsathlete who competes in the first match of a team competition (kendo, judo, etc.)

• Synonym前衛ぜんえいNeutralNeutral. An advance-guard unit, and also avant-garde art as in 「前衛芸術」; 「先鋒」 stresses charging at the very front and leading the way.
• Synonym先陣せんじんNeutralNeutral. Leading the charge or going first, as in 「先陣を切る」; very close to 「先鋒」.
• Synonym尖兵せんぺいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Soldiers or units probing the enemy at the front, also figuratively a pioneer, as in 「改革の尖兵」.
• Related前軍ぜんぐんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Front-line troops that fight the enemy directly; rare and military in flavor.
• Related先遣部隊せんけんぶたいWrittenWritten/formal prose. A detachment sent ahead of the main force, stressing scouting and route-clearing.
• Antonym殿軍でんぐんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Troops that guard the rear; the direct opposite of 「先鋒」.
• Antonym後衛こうえいNeutralNeutral. A rearguard unit, also the back-court player in ball games; opposite of 「先鋒」.
• Antonym殿しんがりNeutralNeutral. Bringing up the rear or going last, as in a relay anchor; opposite of 「先鋒」, who leads the charge.

Use 「先鋒」 for someone leading the charge in a movement or reform (「急先鋒」) or the first competitor in a kendo or judo team match. To lead the charge, say 「先陣を切る」; to bring up the rear, say 「しんがり」.

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

1. 軍隊ぐんたいにおいて、先頭せんとうになって敵てきと対峙たいじする集団しゅうだん。先駆さきがけ、前衛ぜんえい。
2. ある主張しゅちょうや運動うんどうにおいて、他たにリードして進すすむこと、又または、そうするもの。
3. 団体戦だんたいせんにおける一番いちばん手て。