How to say “before” in Chinese
before; previously
“Before” in Chinese is 以前, yǐ qián: the meaning, a recording of how it sounds, the characters stroke by stroke and examples.
How to pronounce it
以前 is read yǐ qián: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “以前”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 以前. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 睡觉以前，我喜欢看书。shuìjiàoyǐqián,wǒxǐhuankànshūI like to read before bed.
- 我以前住在北方wǒyǐqiánzhùzàiběifāngI used to live in the north.
- 我们以前是同学，后来他去了南方。wǒmenyǐqiánshìtóngxué,hòuláitāqùlenánfāngWe used to be classmates, and later he moved south.
- 过节以前我要买礼物guòjiéyǐqián,wǒyàomǎilǐwùBefore the holiday I need to buy presents.
- 我们以前见过2面wǒmenyǐqiánjiànguomiànWe've met before.
- 他比以前更加努力了。tābǐyǐqiángèngjiānǔlìleHe works even harder than before.
More words from the lesson “Earlier and later”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “before” in Chinese?
“Before” in Chinese is 以前, pinyin yǐqián.
What does 以前 mean?
以前 (yǐqián) means “before; previously”.
How do you write 以前?
以前 is 2 characters: 以 (yǐ) — by means of; 前 (qián) — front, ahead. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 以前?
以前 is read yǐqián. Tones: yǐ — third tone, qián — second tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“before” in the lesson “Earlier and later”
This word is from the topic “Seasons and time” of HSK 3. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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