前進

• Reading: ぜんしん
• Romaji: zenshin
• Kanji breakdown: 前 (zen) — front, before; 進 (shin) — advance, proceed
• Pronunciation: /zeɴ.ɕiɴ/

Meaning

Advance; progress; moving forward. Physical or figurative movement in a positive direction.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (前進する). Used for literal forward movement (軍が前進する — troops advance) and figurative progress (交渉が前進する — negotiations make progress). The opposite is 後退 (retreat/regression). Common in military, business, and self-improvement contexts. Implies purposeful, directed movement rather than random change.

Examples

1. プロジェクトが大きく前進した。 The project made significant progress.
2. 一歩ずつ前進することが大切だ。 It's important to move forward one step at a time.
3. 交渉はようやく前進し始めた。 Negotiations have finally started to make headway.

Usage Guide

Context: business, self-improvement, news

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Compound of 前 (zen, front/before) and 進 (shin, advance/proceed). Together, 'proceeding forward' — a clear, directional movement ahead.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal