Definition
前 (qián) is a versatile word meaning 'front' (location) or 'before/ago' (time). It often attaches directly to a noun (e.g., 门前 'in front of the door') or a time word (e.g., 三天前 'three days ago'). Compare with 前面 (qián miàn), a standalone noun for 'in front', and 以前 (yǐ qián), a standalone time word for 'before, in the past'.
noun
front (location)agobefore (in time)formerprevious
Easily confused
- 煎jiānlook-aliketo pan-fry; to sauté
- 钱qiánsound-alikemoney
- 剪jiǎnlook-aliketo cut with scissors; to trim
- 欠qiànsound-aliketo owe (money, debt, favor, apology)
- 箭jiànlook-alikearrow
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name on a document)
- 兼jiānlook-aliketo hold two or more positions or roles at the same time; to concurrently hold
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name); to write brief comments on a document
- 千qiānsound-alikethousand
- 牵qiānsound-aliketo pull, to lead (an animal on a tether)
Examples
- 。Māo zài mén qián shuìjiào.The cat is sleeping in front of the door.
- 。Tā sān tiān qián lái le.He came three days ago.
- 前。Wǒ zuò zài zhuōzi qián.I sit in front of the table.
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