前

Stroke order

前 (Kangxi radical 18, 刀+7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 廿月中弓 (TBLN), four-corner 8022₁, composition ⿱䒑刖)

• 偂, 𰄄, 𠷁, 媊, 㡐, 𭚿, 𰑹, 揃, 湔, 椾, 㷙, 瑐, 𫆨, 𰧏, 糋, 𦂒, 𬠝, 𧪈, 鎆, 𩋳, 騚(𩨊), 𠠩
• 𦑦, 葥, 箭, 鬋, 剪, 𡍽, 𪥗, 𢃬, 㮍, 𣹅, 𤋎, 煎, 𠞽, 翦, 𧛯, 𭶊

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 140, character 15
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 2011
• Dae Jaweon: page 318, character 6
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 248, character 4
• Unihan data for U+524D

Historical forms of the character 前
Western Zhou	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Originally 歬, an ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意) : 止 (“foot”) + 舟 (“boat”) – a foot on a boat moving forward. Alternatively, 舟 represents a shoe (cf. Shuowen 履: 舟象履形) — a foot with a shoe on to walk forward.

In the current form, 止 is simplified to 䒑 and 舟 to 月. The current form with an additional 刀 (“knife”) (𠝣 > 𣦃 > 前) is the original form of 剪 (OC *ʔslenʔ, “to cut”).

Unrelated to 俞.

Unknown (Schuessler, 2007).

前

1. front; forepart

   前方  ―  qiánfāng  ―  the front

   前門／前门  ―  qiánmén  ―  front door

   往前走  ―  wǎng qián zǒu  ―  to move forward

   房子前有一棵樹。 [MSC, trad.]
   房子前有一棵树。 [MSC, simp.]

   Fángzi qián yǒu yī kē shù.

   There is a tree in front of the house.

   Antonym: 後 / 后 (hòu)

   • 司馬喜難墨者師於中山王前以非攻。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     司马喜难墨者师于中山王前以非攻。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE

     Sīmǎ Xǐ nàn Mòzhě Shī yú Zhōngshānwáng qián yǐ Fēigōng.

     Sima Xi reproaches Shi the Mohist (or "a Mohist master") on the merit of "non-belligerence" before (lit., in front of) the King of Zhongshan.

2. ago; before

   以前  ―  yǐqián  ―  previously; ago

   前幾天／前几天  ―  qián jǐ tiān  ―  the other day

   史前時代／史前时代  ―  shǐqián shídài  ―  prehistoric times

   我習慣吃飯前先喝湯。 [MSC, trad.]
   我习惯吃饭前先喝汤。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ xíguàn chīfàn qián xiān hētāng.

   I'm used to having soup before my meal.

   • 現在壓迫子女的，有時也就是十年前的家庭革命者。 [MSC, trad.]
     现在压迫子女的，有时也就是十年前的家庭革命者。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1924, Lu Xun (魯迅), What happens to Nora after she leaves? (《娜拉走後怎樣》)

     Xiànzài yāpò zǐnǚ de, yǒushí yě jiùshì shíniánqián de jiātíng gémìngzhě.

     Some of the current oppressors of children are precisely the revolutionaries of family life from ten years ago.

3. past; previous; former; earlier

   前任  ―  qiánrèn  ―  predecessor

   前副總統／前副总统  ―  qián fùzǒngtǒng  ―  ex-vice president

   前功盡棄／前功尽弃  ―  qiángōngjìnqì  ―  all the previous effort is wasted

   前漢／前汉  ―  qiánhàn  ―  the Former (Western) Han

   • 二三子！偃之言是也。前言戲之耳。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     二三子！偃之言是也。前言戏之耳。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Èrsānzǐ! Yǎn zhī yán shì yě. Qián yán xìzhī ěr.

     My disciples, Yan's words are right. What I said (just now) was only in sport.

   • 前事之不忘，後事之師也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     前事之不忘，后事之师也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Qián shì zhī bùwàng, hòu shì zhī shī yě.

     To not forget the past events is to inform the future.

4. top; foremost; leading

   前三名  ―  qián sān míng  ―  top three

5. future; time ahead

   前程  ―  qiánchéng  ―  future; prospects

6. to move forward

   勇往直前  ―  yǒngwǎngzhíqián  ―  to advance bravely

   • 高祖醉，曰：「壯士行，何畏！」乃前，拔劍擊斬蛇。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     高祖醉，曰：「壮士行，何畏！」乃前，拔剑击斩蛇。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Gāozǔ zuì, yuē: “Zhuàngshì xíng, hé wèi!” Nǎi qián, bá jiàn jī zhǎn shé.

     Emperor Gaozu, under the influence of alcohol, exclaimed "We are a band of heroes on the march. Fear not!" With these words, he went forward, unsheathed his sword, and decapitated the serpent with a stroke.

   • 齊宣王見顏斶，曰：「斶前！」斶亦曰：「王前！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     齐宣王见颜斶，曰：「斶前！」斶亦曰：「王前！」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Qí Xuānwáng jiàn Yán Chù, yuē: “Chù qián!” Chù yì yuē: “Wáng qián!”

     King Xuan of Qi, giving Yan Chu an audience, called on him to come forward. Chu in response also called on the King to step forth.

7. a surname

前 (qián) may refer to either the past or the future depending on one's perspective that is often implied by the context idiomatically. The set phrase 前天 (qiántiān) specifically refers to the day before yesterday.

• “前”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00355
• “Entry #4715”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

Shinjitai	前
Kyūjitai [1][2]	前󠄁 前+󠄁? (Adobe-Japan1)
	前󠄃 前+󠄃? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

1. in front
2. before

• Go-on: ぜん (zen, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: せん (sen)
• Kun: まえ (mae, 前, Jōyō)^{←まへ (mafe, 前, historical)}、さき (saki, 前)、すすむ (susumu, 前む)
• Nanori: くま (kuma)、さき (saki)、さと (sato)、すすむ (susumu)、ちか (chika)、まい (mai)

• 前(ぜん)戯(ぎ) (zengi, “foreplay”)

From Old Japanese as a compound of 目 (ma, “eye”) +‎ 方 (pe₁, “direction, -wards”).^[3][4] Ultimately from Proto-Japonic *mapia.

/mape₁/ → /maɸe/ → /mawe/ → /maje/ → /mae/

• (Tokyo) まえ (Atamadaka – )^[4][5][6]
• IPA^(key):

前(まえ) • (mae) ^{←まへ (mafe)?}

1. the front

   Antonym: 後ろ (ushiro)

   前(まえ)へ進(すす)む

   mae e susumu

   to advance forwards

   (literally, “to advance towards the front”)

2. the past

   Antonym: 後 (ato)

   前(まえ)にも言(い)ったように

   mae ni mo itta yō ni

   as I've said before

   (literally, “just as I have said in the past”)

   • 1934, Torahiko Terada, ゴルフ随行記

     ずっと前(まえ)からＭ君(Ｍくん)にゴルフの仲間入(なかまい)りをすすめられ、多少(たしょう)の誘惑(ゆうわく)は感(かん)じているが、今日(きょう)までのところでは頑強(がんきょう)に抵抗(ていこう)して云(い)う事(こと)を聞(き)かないでいる。

     Zutto mae kara Ｍkun ni gorufu no nakama iri o susumerare, tashō no yūwaku wa kanji te iru ga, kyō made no tokoro deha gankyō ni teikō shite iu koto o kika nai de iru.

     M has invited me to join his golfing group for long, and I feel attracted to some extent, but I firmly rejected his invitation and remained unconvinced so far.

3. previous

   Antonym: 次 (tsugi)

   前(まえ)の記(き)事(じ)

   mae no kiji

   previous entries

前(まえ) • (-mae) 

1. a portion, an amount

   六(ろく)人(にん)前(まえ)の御(ご)膳(ぜん)

   rokunin-mae no go-zen

   a banquet for six people

2. ago

   三(さん)年(ねん)前(まえ)

   sannenmae

   three years ago

   ずっと前(まえ)からそう思(おも)ってた

   zutto mae kara sō omotteta

   I've thought that for ages

   (literally, “I've been thinking that way since forever ago”)

3. makes place names that refer to the vicinity of a point of interest

   市(し)役(やく)所(しょ)前(まえ)

   Shiyakusho-mae

   near the city hall

From Middle Chinese 前 (MC dzen). Compare modern Mandarin 前 (qián).

• (Tokyo) ぜん (Atamadaka – )^[4][5]
• IPA^(key):

前(ぜん) • (-zen) 

1. counter for irregularly shaped objects such as desks, armrests, and serving trays
2. counter for kami and shrines

前(ぜん) • (zen-) 

1. the last, the previous
2. pre- (of an era)

前(ぜん) • (-zen) 

1. (archaic) ago
   • 1924, Mimei Ogawa, “海の彼方”, in ある夜の星だち‎:

     まさしく、三年(さんねん)前(ぜん)に失(な)くしたおじいさんのくれたバイオリンでありました。

     Masashiku, sannenzen ni nakushita ojīsan no kureta baiorin de arimashita.

     It was truly the violin that he had lost three years ago, that the old man had given to him.

2. (archaic) before
   • 1919, Susukida Kyūkin, “地獄の住人”, in 新茶話‎:

     今度(こんど)の戦争(せんそう)前(ぜん)、このロイド・ジョウジ氏(し)が田舎(いなか)へ往(い)って政治演説(せいじえんぜつ)をしていた事(こと)があった。

     Kondo no sensōzen, kono roido jōji shi ga inaka e itte seiji enzetsu o shiteita koto ga atta.

     Before this war, the forementioned Mr Lloyd George went to the countryside and gave a political speech.

Contraction of 御(ご)前(ぜ) (goze), itself a contraction of 御(ご)前(ぜん) (go-zen), an honorific form of address.^[3][4]

• IPA^(key):

前(ぜ) • (-ze) 

1. (rare) an honorific suffix added to a noun denoting a person

   尼(あま)前(ぜ)

   ama-ze

   (honorable) nun

From Middle Chinese 前 (MC dzen).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

前

Wikisource

前 (eumhun 앞 전 (ap jeon))

1. hanja form^? of 전 (“front; before”)
2. hanja form^? of 전 (“ex-; previous”)

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

前: Hán Nôm readings: tiền, tèn

sc=Hani

前

1. chữ Hán form of tiền (“pre-, (history, of a dynasty) early (used to distinguish similarly named dynasties)”).