既(き)〜

き

prefix

pre-; already-; existing-

1. pre-; already-; existing-

A formal Sino-Japanese prefix marking that something has already occurred or is already in place. Common in administrative, legal, and academic writing.

既(き)婚(こん)者(しゃ)向(む)けのアンケートです。

This survey is for married people.

既(き)存(そん)のシステムを活用(かつよう)したい。

I want to make use of the existing system.

既(き)発表(はっぴょう)の論文(ろんぶん)は審査(しんさ)対象外(たいしょうがい)です。

Already-published papers are excluded from review.

Bound prefix, never used standalone. Marks a state as already established or completed.

Compounds

既(き)婚(こん): married (already wed)
既(き)存(そん): existing; pre-existing
既(き)成(せい): ready-made; established
既(き)知(ち): known; already-known
既(き)往(おう)歴(れき): medical history (literally 'already-past history')

Similar prefixes

未(み)〜: not yet; un- — the direct antonym (未(み)婚(こん) unmarried, 未(み)知(ち) unknown)
旧(きゅう)〜: former; old- — focuses on what something used to be, not on completion

general

Added 2026.6.3 13:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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