Meaning of 先前
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- before; previously
How to use 先前
先前 refers to an earlier time, often to contrast with the present situation. It usually comes at the start of a sentence or before the verb. Example: 他先前住在北京。(Tā xiānqián zhù zài Běijīng.) He previously lived in Beijing.
先 (xiān) means first and 前 (qián) means before or in front, so 先前 stacks two "earlier" ideas together. Think of it as "first, before now" pointing back to an earlier time.
Common mistake: Learners often write 先前 as "before" after a verb phrase, like 吃饭先前. That is wrong. For "before eating" use 吃饭以前 (chīfàn yǐqián) or 吃饭之前, because 先前 cannot follow a clause.
先前 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
先 xiān · beforehand · 6 strokes
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前 qián · front · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 先前.
| 先生 | xiānsheng | teacher; gentleman; sir; mister (Mr.) |
| 前天 | qiántiān | the day before yesterday |
| 前边 | qiánbian | front; the front side |
| 以前 | yǐqián | before; formerly |
| 面前 | miànqián | in front of; facing |
| 前年 | qiánnián | the year before last |
| 首先 | shǒuxiān | first of all; in the first place |
| 目前 | mùqián | at the present time; currently |
| 前面 | qiánmiàn | ahead; in front |
| 前进 | qiánjìn | to go forward; to forge ahead |
| 前往 | qiánwǎng | to leave for; to proceed towards; to go to |
| 眼前 | yǎnqián | before one's eyes; now |
Questions about 先前
What does 先前 mean?
先前 (xiānqián) means "before; previously" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 先前?
先前 is made of 2 characters: 先 (6 strokes), 前 (9 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 先前 an HSK word?
Yes. 先前 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 先前 and 以前?
Both can mean "previously," but 以前 (yǐqián) is more common and can follow a time or event, as in 三年以前. 先前 stands alone and sounds a bit more written or narrative.
Can 先前 describe a noun, like "the previous plan"?
Yes, add 的: 先前的计划 (xiānqián de jìhuà) means the earlier plan. This is common when comparing something old with something new.