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前 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
前qiánfrontHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánforwardHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánaheadHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánfirstHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiántop (followed by a number)HSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánfutureHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánagoHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánbeforeHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánBC (e.g. 前293年)HSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánformerHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánformerlyHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
前qiánin front, forward; former, precedingHSK 1, f, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #169, Easy
qián(qian2) T2
  1. 1front
  2. 2forward
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
前qián(qian2)

The character '前' (qián) primarily means 'front' or 'ahead,' and is used to indicate physical positioning as well as temporal concepts such as 'ago' or 'before.' It can also denote something that comes first or is in a leading position, making it versatile in both spatial and chronological contexts.

Strokes9Radical刂Frequency#169DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

'前' is often used in traditional Chinese practices, such as '前世' (qiánshì), meaning 'previous life,' reflecting beliefs in reincarnation prevalent in Chinese culture. This highlights the importance of both the past and the future in societal concepts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person standing at the front of a line, waving their hand forward, shouting 'qián!' to indicate they are leading the way. The character '前' resembles a person (亻) standing before something (前), reinforcing the idea of being in front.

Meanings of 前

qián(qian2)
1front
2forward
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 前

前Simplified
9Strokes
刂Radical
方位词direction word (dir.)Part of Speech
#169Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 前

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Podcast: 前

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AI Study Notes for 前

Quick Contrast

前 (qián) vs 先 (xiān) — use 前 for physical positioning or temporal references, while 先 emphasizes precedence or priority in actions.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person standing at the front of a line, waving their hand forward, shouting 'qián!' to indicate they are leading the way. The character '前' resembles a person (亻) standing before something (前), reinforcing the idea of being in front.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse '前' with '后' (hòu), which means 'back' or 'behind.' It is commonly used in phrases like '前面' (qiánmiàn) for 'in front' and '以前' (yǐqián) for 'before.' Remember that '前' can indicate time as well, such as '三年前' (three years ago).

HSK Study Tips

Although '前' is not part of the official HSK levels, it is essential for understanding basic temporal expressions. Focus on its use in conjunction with numbers and other time-related words, as this will enhance your ability to describe sequences in conversation.

Cultural Note

'前' is often used in traditional Chinese practices, such as '前世' (qiánshì), meaning 'previous life,' reflecting beliefs in reincarnation prevalent in Chinese culture. This highlights the importance of both the past and the future in societal concepts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '前' with '后' (hòu), leading to phrases like '后面三年前' (incorrect). The correct form would be '三年前' (three years ago) to accurately convey the idea of time before a certain point.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 前

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Etymology of 前

Explanation

Depicts a boat (舟) moving (止) forward (前).

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 前

IDS Structure⿱⿱丷一刖
前Full Character
=
丷ha5
top
一yi1
bottom
刖yue4
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 前?

Write 前

前

Practice writing 前 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 前

前 carries 12 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

____面是图书馆。

Up ahead is the library.

Example Sentences for 前 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我觉得那样做也许可以让他们冰释前嫌。

wǒ jué dé nà yàng zuò yě xǔ kě yǐ ràng tā mén bīng shì qián xián。

I felt that might well mend the rift between them.
2
我之前建议成人服用的剂量可以降到1/2或者1/4。

wǒ zhī qián jiàn yì chéng rén fú yòng de jì liáng kě yǐ jiàng dào1/2 1/2 huò1/4。

The doses I suggested for adults could be halved or quartered.
3
我游到救生筏前，死命地抓住它。

wǒ yóu dào jiù shēng fá qián， ， sǐ mìng dì zhuā zhù。

I made for the life raft and hung on for dear life.
4
他以前总是跟我唠叨必须获胜才行。

tā yǐ qián zǒng shì gēn wǒ lào tāo bì xū huò shèng cái háng。

He used to keep on at me about the need to win.
5
我走到镜子前面伸出舌头。

wǒ zǒu dào jìng zǐ qián miàn shēn chū shé tóu。

I walked over to the mirror and stuck my tongue out.
6
以前我曾经做过大学校报的主编。

yǐ qián wǒ zēng jīng zuò guò dà xué xiào bào de zhǔ biān。

I used to edit the college paper in the old days.
7
成功不是终点，失败也并非末日，最重要的是继续前进的勇气。

chéng gōng bù shì zhōng diǎn， ， shī bài yě bìng fēi mò， rì ， zuì zhòng yào de shì jì xù qián jìn de。

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.--Winston Churchill
8
目前，30%的爬行动物、鸟类和鱼类面临灭绝的危险。

mù qián，30% ，30% de pá háng dòng、 wù 、 niǎo lèi hé yú lèi miàn lín miè jué de。

30 percent of reptiles, birds, and fish are currently threatened with extinction.
9
我想让门前的花园变得五彩缤纷。

wǒ xiǎng ràng mén qián de huā yuán biàn dé wǔ cǎi bīn fēn。

I wanted the front garden to be a blaze of colour.
10
宽阔的马路被缓慢前行的车辆堵得严严实实。

kuān kuò de mǎ lù bèi huǎn màn qián háng de chē liàng dǔ dé yán yán shí shí。

The wide road was blocked solid with traffic that moved along sluggishly.

Cultural Notes for 前

🏮Cultural insight

'前' is often used in traditional Chinese practices, such as '前世' (qiánshì), meaning 'previous life,' reflecting beliefs in reincarnation prevalent in Chinese culture. This highlights the importance of both the past and the future in societal concepts.

Word Family of 前

Compounds16
剪Jian3surname Jian
箭jian4arrow
煎jian1to pan fry
媊
揃
湔jian1to wash, to cleanse; to purge
翦Jian3scissors; to cut, to clip; to annihilate
葥
鬋
偂
椾
瑐
糋
鎆
騚
鰂zei2cuttlefish
Words Containing This Character20
前qiánfront
之前zhīqiánbefore
目前mùqiáncurrently
以前yǐqiánbefore
前面qiánmiànahead
面前miànqiánfacing
提前tíqiánin advance
当前dāngqiáncurrent當前
前进qiánjìnto go forward前進
前往qiánwǎngto leave for
眼前yǎnqiánnow
此前cǐqiánbefore this
前提qiántípremise
前来qiánláibefore前來
前后qiánhòuaround前後
向前xiàngqiánforward
前景qiánjǐngvista
前途qiántúprospects
从前cóngqiánpreviously從前
前期qiánqīearly stage
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 剪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 前

'前' is used to denote time before a certain point, like '两年前' (two years ago) or '一个月前' (a month ago).