(zhī qián) - before, prior to in Mandarin
zhīqiánTraditional: 之前
Translation
before, prior to
Word origin
之前 (zhīqián) 'before, prior to' joins the particle 之 (zhī) and 前 (qián, 'front, before'). 前 in its early form shows a foot 止 over a boat 舟 with the 刂 knife element, conveying moving forward and hence 'in front, before'.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 之 (zhī, particle) + 前 (qián, 'front, before')
Stroke order
之
前
Examples
。
You said it before.
。
Wash hands before eating.
。
Rest a bit before working.
。
You should wash your hands before eating.
。
I have not been to Japan before.
之前 (zhī qián) means before, prior to. It is used as a noun in everyday Mandarin speech.
Where this fits
Used in
Grammar articles
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之前: worksheet, infographic and listicle
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 5.