前日 (qián rì) — the day before yesterday; the previous day

Definition

Literary/formal term meaning 'the day before yesterday' (or 'the previous day' in writing). More common in written Chinese than in speech, where 前天 or 昨天 are preferred.

noun
the day before yesterdaythe previous day

Examples

  • 前日，。
    qián rì Shì wǒ shēng rì, hěn duō péng you lái le.
    The day before yesterday was my birthday; many friends came.
  • 前日。
    Tā qián rì yǐ jīng lí kāi shàng hǎi le.
    He already left Shanghai the day before yesterday.
  • 前日，。
    qián rì De huì yì shàng, dà jiā tǎo lùn le zhè ge fāng àn.
    At the previous day's meeting, everyone discussed this plan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

前qiánprevious
日rìday

前 (previous) narrows 日 (day) to the day before.

Characters in this word

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Open 日 →

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