Definition
前夕 (qián xī) refers to 'the eve (of a day)' literally or, figuratively, the period just before an important event. It is a general term for any occasion—the eve of a holiday, competition, or graduation. This contrasts with 除夕 (Chú xī, 'Chinese New Year's Eve'), which specifically denotes the eve of the Lunar New Year.
noun
the eve of (a specific day)(figurative) the period just before an important event
Easily confused
- 迁徙qiān xǐsound-aliketo migrate; to move (from one place to another, often of animals or people)
Examples
- ，。Zhōngqiū jié qián xī, yì jiā rén kāishǐ zhǔnbèi yuèbǐng hé shuǐguǒ.On the eve of Mid-Autumn Festival, the family starts preparing mooncakes and fruit.
- 前夕，。Bǐsài qián xī, tā jǐnzhāng de shuì bù zháo jiào.On the eve of the competition, he was so nervous he couldn't fall asleep.
- 前夕，。Bìyè qián xī, wǒmen chángcháng liáo dào shēnyè.On the eve of graduation, we often talked until late at night.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.