I’m learning the vocab 先, which has one meaning as hereafter. It states it’s a noun, but also a noun-prefix/suffix. I was just wondering how that would apply–if someone could provide examples and explain, I’ve run into this confusion a few times with how a noun could be used as a prefix or suffix. Or am I just applying the wrong part of speech to one of the definitions. That part of speech might not be referring to the hereafter definition at all.
As a prefix, it tends to mean “previous”. 週 (week) → 先週 (last week)
As a suffix, it tends to mean “endpoint”. 指 (finger) → 指先 (fingertip)
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Thank you very much
〜先 can also mean from now on/in the future, as in これから先, or as some time ahead, as in 冬休みはちょうど３週間先だ。 (The winter vacation is just three weeks away [off, ahead]).
[Btw, there did you get the meaning “hereafter” from? It’s not mentioned in WK? Not saying it’s wrong though 
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Jisho, most likely.
- previous; prior; former; first; earlier; some time ago; preceding
- point (e.g. pencil); tip; end; nozzle
- head (of a line); front
- ahead; the other side
- the future; hereafter
- destination
- the other party
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