TongTong
Sign in

先前 (xiān qián) — before; previously

Definition

先前 means 'previously, before now' and is close to 以前 and 之前, but slightly more formal and written — it's the version you're most likely to see in reports, news, or instructions rather than casual speech.

noun
beforepreviously

Examples

  • 先前，。
    Wǒ xiān qián bù zhī dào zhè jiàn shì, hòu lái cái tīng shuō de.
    I didn't know about this before; I only heard about it later.
  • 先前，？
    xiān qián De jì huà, xiàn zài hái yǒu xiào ma?
    Is the previous plan still valid now?
  • 先前，。
    Tā xiān qián zhù zài běi jīng, qù nián bān dào le shàng hǎi.
    He lived in Beijing before, and moved to Shanghai last year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

先xiānbefore
前qiánbefore

先 and 前 both point to an earlier time, so 先前 means previously.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

先 combines 止 (foot) and 儿 (person) to show someone moving forward.

Open 先 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Open 前 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Time (Abstract)

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.