This is the 10362nd most frequent Japanese word.
魁
"魁" means "leader," "pioneer," or "forerunner."
In this sentence, '魁' is used to indicate someone who is a leader or a pioneer, being the first to start or initiate something significant.
彼はその業界の魁だ。
He is the pioneer of that industry.
Here, '魁' represents the concept of being the initiator or figurehead for an endeavor or movement.
魁となる人物を探している。
We are looking for a person to take the lead.
In this context, '魁' refers to an entity that is the precursor or trigger for subsequent developments or advancements.