noun / localizer / adjective / prefix HSK 1
front · forward · before · ago · former · previous
Meaning
前 is a fundamental spatial and temporal word meaning 'front' or 'before'. As a spatial term, it indicates the space in front of something. As a temporal term, it means 'ago' or 'previous', referring to time that has passed.
Usage
前 is extremely common in everyday speech. It appears in time expressions (三天前 'three days ago'), spatial descriptions (前面 'in front'), and as a prefix meaning 'former' (前男友 'ex-boyfriend'). It often combines with 面 to form 前面 for spatial contexts.
Examples
- 01我三年前来过北京。.I came to Beijing three years ago.
- 02前面有一家咖啡店。.There's a coffee shop up ahead.
Common collocations
- 前面in front, ahead
- 以前before, in the past
- ...前...... ago (time expression)
- 前天the day before yesterday
Antonyms
Origin
The character 前 originally depicted a boat moving forward on water, with the top part representing a foot stepping forward. This gave it the core meaning of 'advancing' or 'going forward', which evolved into 'front' and 'before'.