来

• Reading: らい
• Romaji: rai
• Kanji breakdown: 来 (rai/ku) — come, next, future
• Pronunciation: /ɾa.i/

Meaning

Next; coming. A prefix indicating the next occurrence of a time period.

A prefix attached to time-related words to mean 'next' or 'coming': 来週 (raishuu, next week), 来月 (raigetsu, next month), 来年 (rainen, next year). Contrasts with 先 (sen, last/previous) and 今 (kon, this/current). Also appears in compounds like 以来 (irai, since then) and 将来 (shourai, future).

Examples

1. 来月から新しい仕事が始まる。 I'm starting a new job next month.
2. 来週の土曜日は予定がありますか。 Do you have any plans for next Saturday?
3. 来年の春に日本に行きたい。 I want to go to Japan next spring.

Usage Guide

Context: scheduling, time expressions, planning

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 来 depicts a wheat plant, but was borrowed for its phonetic value to mean 'come.' As a prefix, it indicates something approaching or forthcoming. One of the earliest kanji learned in Japanese education.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal