noun (time word) HSK 2
the day before yesterday
Meaning
前天 is a common time expression meaning 'the day before yesterday.' It's composed of 前 (before/front) and 天 (day), literally meaning 'the day before.' This word is used frequently in everyday conversation when referring to events that happened two days ago.
Usage
前天 functions as a time noun and typically appears at the beginning of a sentence or before the verb. It's used in casual and formal contexts alike. Native speakers often use it when recounting recent events or explaining when something occurred. It pairs naturally with past tense markers like 了.
Examples
- 01我前天去了北京。.I went to Beijing the day before yesterday.
- 02前天下雨了，所以我没出门。, .It rained the day before yesterday, so I didn't go out.
Characters
Common collocations
- 前天晚上the night before last
- 前天早上the morning of the day before yesterday
- 前天下午the afternoon of the day before yesterday
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 前 (before) with 天 (day) in a straightforward compositional manner, following Chinese's common pattern of time expressions where position words modify time units.