从前 (cóng qián) — formerly; in the past; once upon a time

Definition

Examples

• 从前有一个人，他每天都去山上砍柴。
  cóng qián Yǒu yí gè rén, tā měi tiān dōu qù shān shàng kǎn chái.
  Once upon a time there was a man who went to the mountain every day to cut firewood.
• 从前我不喜欢运动，现在每天都会跑步。
  cóng qián Wǒ bù xǐ huan yùn dòng, xiàn zài měi tiān dōu huì pǎo bù.
  I didn't like exercise before, but now I run every day.
• 从前这里是一个小村子，现在已经变成大城市了。
  cóng qián Zhè lǐ shì yí gè xiǎo cūn zi, xiàn zài yǐ jīng biàn chéng dà chéng shì le.
  This place used to be a small village, but now it has become a big city.