前

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前 U+524D, 前
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-524D
← 剌
[U+524C] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 剎 →
[U+524E]

Translingual[edit]

Stroke order
9 strokes

Han character[edit]

前 (Kangxi radical 18, 刀+7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 廿月中弓 (TBLN), four-corner 80221, composition ⿱䒑刖)

Derived characters[edit]

References[edit]

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 140, character 15
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 2011
  • Dae Jaweon: page 318, character 6
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 248, character 4
  • Unihan data for U+524D

Chinese[edit]

Glyph origin[edit]

Historical forms of the character 前
Western Zhou Warring States Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions Chu slip and silk script Qin slip script Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts
Characters in the same phonetic series (前) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
媊 *ʔslel, *ʔslenʔ
煎 *ʔslen, *ʔslens
湔 *ʔslen, *ʔslens, *ʔsleːn, *zleːn
鬋 *ʔslen, *ʔslenʔ, *ʔslens
剪 *ʔslenʔ
翦 *ʔslenʔ
譾 *ʔslenʔ
揃 *ʔslenʔ
箭 *ʔslens
葥 *ʔslens
前 *zleːn
騚 *zleːn
歬 *zleːn

Originally 歬, an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 止 (“foot”) + 舟 (“boat”) – a foot on a boat moving forward. Alternatively, 舟 represents a shoe (cf. Shuowen 履: 舟象履形) — a foot with a shoe on to walk forward.

In the current form, 止 is simplified to 䒑 and 舟 to 月. The current form with an additional 刀 (“knife”) is the original form of 剪 (OC *ʔslenʔ, “to cut”).

Etymology 1[edit]

trad. 前
simp. # 前
alternative forms 偂
歬
𠝣
𣥑
𣦃

Unknown (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation[edit]

Note:
  • sèng - vernacular;
  • cièng - literary.
  • Min Nan
    • Note:
    • chêng/chûiⁿ/châiⁿ - vernacular;
    • chiân - literary;
    • chûn - vernacular (limited, e.g. 前年 (qiánnián));
    • chân - vernacular (limited).
    Note:
    • zoin5 - Chaozhou, Shantou;
    • zain5 - Jieyang, Chaoyang, Puning, Huilai.
  • Wu
  • Xiang
    • Dialectal data
    Variety Location 前
    Mandarin Beijing /t͡ɕʰian³⁵/
    Harbin /t͡ɕʰian²⁴/ ～天
    /t͡ɕʰian²¹³/ 跟～兒
    Tianjin /t͡ɕʰian⁴⁵/
    Jinan /t͡ɕʰiã⁴²/
    Qingdao /t͡sʰiã⁴²/
    Zhengzhou /t͡sʰian⁴²/
    Xi'an /t͡ɕʰiã²⁴/
    Xining /t͡ɕʰiã²⁴/
    Yinchuan /t͡ɕʰian⁵³/
    Lanzhou /t͡ɕʰiɛ̃n⁵³/
    Ürümqi /t͡ɕʰian⁵¹/
    Wuhan /t͡ɕʰiɛn²¹³/
    Chengdu /t͡ɕʰian³¹/
    Guiyang /t͡ɕʰian²¹/
    Kunming /t͡ɕʰiɛ̃³¹/
    Nanjing /t͡sʰien²⁴/
    Hefei /t͡ɕʰiĩ⁵⁵/
    Jin Taiyuan /t͡ɕʰie¹¹/
    Pingyao /t͡ɕʰie̞¹³/
    /t͡ɕie̞¹³/
    Hohhot /t͡ɕʰie³¹/
    Wu Shanghai /ʑi²³/
    Suzhou /ziɪ¹³/
    Hangzhou /d͡ʑd͡ʑiẽ̞²¹³/
    Wenzhou /ji³¹/
    Hui Shexian /t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
    Tunxi /t͡sʰiɛ⁴⁴/
    Xiang Changsha /t͡siẽ¹³/
    Xiangtan /d͡ziẽ¹²/
    Gan Nanchang /t͡ɕʰiɛn²⁴/
    Hakka Meixian /t͡sʰien¹¹/
    Taoyuan /t͡sʰien¹¹/
    Cantonese Guangzhou /t͡sʰin²¹/
    Nanning /t͡sʰin²¹/
    Hong Kong /t͡sʰin²¹/
    Min Xiamen (Min Nan) /t͡sian³⁵/
    /t͡siŋ³⁵/
    Fuzhou (Min Dong) /t͡sieŋ⁵³/
    Jian'ou (Min Bei) /t͡sʰiŋ³³/
    Shantou (Min Nan) /t͡sõi⁵⁵/
    Haikou (Min Nan) /sin³¹/
    /tai³¹/
    /tun³¹/
    Rime
    Character 前
    Reading # 1/1
    Initial (聲) 從 (15)
    Final (韻) 先 (85)
    Tone (調) Level (Ø)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division (等) IV
    Fanqie 昨先切
    Baxter dzen
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang         		/d͡zen/
    Pan
    Wuyun         		/d͡zen/
    Shao
    Rongfen         		/d͡zɛn/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank         		/d͡zɛn/
    Li
    Rong         		/d͡zen/
    Wang
    Li         		/d͡zien/
    Bernard
    Karlgren         		/d͡zʱien/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex         		qián
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex         		cin4
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 前
    Reading # 1/1
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)         		qián
    Middle
    Chinese         		‹ dzen ›
    Old
    Chinese         		/*[dz]ˁen/ (~ *m-dzˁen)
    English before

    Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

    * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
    * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
    * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
    * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

    * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
    Zhengzhang system (2003)
    Character 前
    Reading # 1/1
    No. 10256
    Phonetic
    component         		前
    Rime
    group         		元
    Rime
    subdivision         		2
    Corresponding
    MC rime         		前
    Old
    Chinese         		/*zleːn/

    Definitions[edit]

    前

    1. front; forepart
      前方  ―  qiánfāng  ―  the front
      前門／前门  ―  qiánmén  ―  front door
      往前走  ―  wǎng qián zǒu  ―  to move forward
      房子前有一棵樹。／房子前有一棵树。  ―  Fángzi qián yǒu yī kē shù.  ―  There is a tree in front of the house.
      Antonym: 後／后 (hòu)
    2. ago; before
      以前  ―  yǐqián  ―  previously; ago
      前幾天／前几天  ―  qián jǐ tiān  ―  the other day
      史前時代／史前时代  ―  shǐqián shídài  ―  prehistoric times
      我習慣吃飯前先喝湯。 [MSC, trad.]
      我习惯吃饭前先喝汤。 [MSC, simp.]
      Wǒ xíguàn chīfàn qián xiān hētāng. [Pinyin]
      I'm used to having soup before my meal.
    3. past; previous; former; earlier
      前任  ―  qiánrèn  ―  predecessor
      前副總統／前副总统  ―  qián fùzǒngtǒng  ―  ex-vice president
      前功盡棄／前功尽弃  ―  qiángōngjìnqì  ―  all the previous effort is wasted
      前漢／前汉  ―  qiánhàn  ―  the Former (Western) Han
    4. top; foremost; leading
      前三名  ―  qián sān míng  ―  top three
    5. future; time ahead
      前程  ―  qiánchéng  ―  future; prospects
    6. to move forward
      勇往直前  ―  yǒngwǎngzhíqián  ―  to advance bravely
    7. a surname

    Usage notes[edit]

    前 (qián) may refer to either the past or the future depending on one's perspective that is often implied by the context idiomatically. The set phrase 前天 (qiántiān) specifically refers to the day before yesterday.

    Compounds[edit]

    Descendants[edit]

    Sino-Xenic (前):
    • → Japanese: 前(ぜん) (zen)
    • → Korean: 전(前) (jeon)
    • → Vietnamese: tiền (前)

    Etymology 2[edit]

    For pronunciation and definitions of 前 – see 剪 (“to cut”).
    (This character, 前, is an ancient form of 剪.)

    References[edit]

    Japanese[edit]

    Shinjitai 前
    Kyūjitai
    [1][2]
    前󠄁
    前+&#xE0101;?
    (Adobe-Japan1)
    前󠄃
    前+&#xE0103;?
    (Hanyo-Denshi)
    (Moji_Joho)
    The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment.
    See here for details.

    Kanji[edit]

    前

    (grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

    1. in front
    2. before

    Readings[edit]

    Compounds[edit]

    Etymology 1[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    前
    まえ
    Grade: 2
    kun’yomi

    From Old Japanese as a compound of 目 (ma, “eye”) +‎ 方 (pe1, “direction, -wards”).[3][4] Ultimately from Proto-Japonic *mapia.

    /mape1/ → /maɸe/ → /mawe/ → /maje/ → /mae/

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    前(まえ) • (mae) ←まへ (mafe)?

    1. the front
      Antonym: 後ろ (ushiro)
      前(まえ)へ進(すす)む
      mae e susumu
      to advance forwards
      (literally, “to advance towards the front”)
    2. the past
      Antonym: 後 (ato)
      前(まえ)から気(き)になってたんだけど […]
      mae kara ki ni natteta n da kedo […]
      I've been thinking about it for a while, but […]
      前(まえ)にも言(い)ったように
      mae ni mo itta yō ni
      as I've said before
      (literally, “just as I have said in the past”)
    3. previous
      Antonym: 次 (tsugi)
      前(まえ)の記(き)事(じ)
      mae no kiji
      previous entries

    Suffix[edit]

    前(まえ) • (-mae) 

    1. a portion, an amount
      六(ろく)人(にん)前(まえ)の御(ご)膳(ぜん)
      rokunin-mae no go-zen
      a banquet for six people
    2. ago
      三(さん)年(ねん)前(まえ)
      sannenmae
      three years ago
      ずっと前(まえ)からそう思(おも)ってた
      zutto mae kara sō omotteta
      I've thought that for ages
      (literally, “I've been thinking that way since forever ago”)
    3. makes place names that refer to the vicinity of a point of interest
      市(し)役(やく)所(しょ)前(まえ)
      Shiyakusho-mae
      near the city hall

    Etymology 2[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    前
    さき
    Grade: 2
    kun’yomi
    For pronunciation and definitions of 前 – see the following entry.
    【先さき】1
    [noun] before, previous
    [noun] end, tip
    [noun] earlier, the past
    [noun] afterwards, the future
    [noun] the destination of a motion or action
    [noun] sequel
    [noun] ahead, in front
    (This term, 前, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)


    Etymology 3[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    前
    ぜん
    Grade: 2
    goon

    From Middle Chinese 前 (MC dzen). Compare modern Mandarin 前 (qián).

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Counter[edit]

    前(ぜん) • (-zen) 

    1. counter for irregularly shaped objects such as desks, armrests, and serving trays
    2. counter for kami and shrines

    Prefix[edit]

    前(ぜん) • (zen-) 

    1. the last, the previous
    2. pre- (of an era)

    Suffix[edit]

    前(ぜん) • (-zen) 

    1. (archaic) ago
      • 1924, Mimei Ogawa, “海の彼方”, in ある夜の星だち‎[2]:
        まさしく、三年(さんねん)前(ぜん)に失(な)くしたおじいさんのくれたバイオリンでありました。
        Masashiku, sannenzen ni nakushita ojīsan no kureta baiorin de arimashita.
        It was truly the violin that he had lost three years ago, that the old man had given to him.
    2. (archaic) before
      • 1919, Susukida Kyūkin, “地獄の住人”, in 新茶話‎[3]:
        今度(こんど)の戦争(せんそう)前(ぜん)、このロイド・ジョウジ氏(し)が田舎(いなか)へ往(い)って政治演説(せいじえんぜつ)をしていた事(こと)があった。
        Kondo no sensōzen, kono roido jōji shi ga inaka e itte seiji enzetsu o shiteita koto ga atta.
        Before this war, the forementioned Mr Lloyd George went to the countryside and gave a political speech.

    Etymology 4[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    前
    ぜ
    Grade: 2
    kan’yōon

    Contraction of 御(ご)前(ぜ) (goze), itself a contraction of 御(ご)前(ぜん) (go-zen), an honorific form of address.[3][4]

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Suffix[edit]

    前(ぜ) • (-ze) 

    1. (rare) an honorific suffix added to a noun denoting a person
      尼(あま)前(ぜ)
      ama-ze
      (honorable) nun

    References[edit]

    1. ^ 1914, 漢和大辭書 (Kanwa Dai Jisho, “The Great Kanji-Japanese Dictionary”) (in Japanese), page 301 (paper), page 200 (digital), Tōkyō: 興文社 (Kōbunsha)
    2. ^ 1927, 新漢和辭典 (Shin Kanwa Jiten, “The New Kanji-Japanese Dictionary”) (in Japanese), page 223 (paper), page 123 (digital), Ōsaka: 松雲堂 (Shōundō)
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
    6. ^ 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

    Korean[edit]

    Etymology[edit]

    From Middle Chinese 前 (MC dzen).

    Historical Readings
    Dongguk Jeongun Reading
    Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 쪈 (Yale: ccyèn)
    Middle Korean
    Text Eumhun
    Gloss (hun) Reading
    Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[4] 앏 (Yale: àlp) 젼 (Yale: cyèn)

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Hanja[edit]

    Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

    Wikisource

    前 (eumhun 앞 전 (ap jeon))

    1. Hanja form? of 전 (“front; before”). [noun]
    2. Hanja form? of 전 (“ex-; previous”). [prefix]

    Compounds[edit]

    Compounds

    References[edit]

    • 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [5]

    Vietnamese[edit]

    Han character[edit]

    前: Hán Nôm readings: tiền, tèn

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