前 meaning and stroke order
Front; forward; ahead
How to write 前, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 前
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- front
- forward
- ahead
- first
- top (followed by a number)
- future
How 前 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.
How to remember 前
The top of 前 (qián) is 丷 over 一, like two sparks above a line, and below sits 刖, a moon 月 beside a knife 刂. Picture someone cutting a path with a knife as they push forward to the front.
前 marks position in front, earlier time, or forward motion. It often follows a noun or time word, as in 三天前 (sān tiān qián, three days ago), and appears in words like 前面 (qiánmiàn) and 以前 (yǐqián). Example: 学校前面有一家商店。(Xuéxiào qiánmiàn yǒu yì jiā shāngdiàn.) There is a shop in front of the school.
Common mistake: Learners often put 前 in English order and say 前三天 when they mean three days ago, but the correct form is 三天前 (sān tiān qián). 前三天 actually means the first three days.
Common words with 前
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 前天 | qiántiān | the day before yesterday | HSK 1 |
| 前边 | qiánbian | front; the front side | HSK 1 |
| 以前 | yǐqián | before; formerly | HSK 2 |
| 面前 | miànqián | in front of; facing | HSK 2 |
| 前年 | qiánnián | the year before last | HSK 2 |
| 目前 | mùqián | at the present time; currently | HSK 3 |
| 前面 | qiánmiàn | ahead; in front | HSK 3 |
| 前进 | qiánjìn | to go forward; to forge ahead | HSK 3 |
| 前往 | qiánwǎng | to leave for; to proceed towards; to go to | HSK 3 |
| 眼前 | yǎnqián | before one's eyes; now | HSK 3 |
| 提前 | tíqián | to shift to an earlier date; to do sth ahead of time | HSK 3 |
| 从前 | cóngqián | previously; formerly | HSK 3 |
| 前后 | qiánhòu | around; from beginning to end | HSK 3 |
| 之前 | zhīqián | before; prior to | HSK 4 |
前 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 前
Learning 前 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 前
How many strokes are in 前?
前 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 前 mean?
前 (qián) means front; forward; ahead. A common word with it is 前天 (qiántiān), meaning "the day before yesterday".
How do you pronounce 前?
前 is pronounced qián, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 前?
The radical of 前 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 前 under this radical.
Is 前 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 前 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 前天 and 以前?
前天 (qiántiān) means exactly the day before yesterday. 以前 (yǐqián) means before or in the past in general, with no fixed date.
What is the opposite of 前?
The opposite is 后 (hòu), meaning behind or after. Pairs include 前面 and 后面 (in front, behind), and 以前 and 以后 (before, after).