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qián
HSK 3.0 Level 1

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Definitions

  1. 1. front
  2. 2. forward
  3. 3. ahead
  4. 4. first
  5. 5. top (followed by a number)
  6. 6. future
  7. 7. ago
  8. 8. before
  9. 9. BC (e.g. 前293年)
  10. 10. former
  11. 11. formerly

Example Sentences

1 shown
進!
Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 13111545)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org.

Words Containing 前

前卫
qián wèi

advanced guard

学前班
xué qián bān

preschool

前意识
qián yì shí

preconscious

名列前茅
míng liè qián máo

to rank among the best

前世
qián shì

previous generations

前轮
qián lún

front wheel

面前
miàn qián

in front of

前凸后翘
qián tū hòu qiào

(of a woman) to have nice curves

前院
qián yuàn

front courtyard

前倨后恭
qián jù hòu gōng

to switch from arrogance to deference (idiom)

前几天
qián jǐ tiān

a few days ago

事前
shì qián

in advance

赶前不赶后
gǎn qián bù gǎn hòu

it's better to hurry at the start than to rush later (idiom)

此时以前
cǐ shí yǐ qián

heretofore

前年
qián nián

the year before last

前半晌
qián bàn shǎng

morning

前厅
qián tīng

anteroom

以前
yǐ qián

before

新年前夕
xīn nián qián xī

New Year's eve

前传
qián zhuàn

prequel

盛况空前
shèng kuàng kōng qián

a magnificent and unprecedented event (idiom)

前仆后继
qián pū hòu jì

one falls, the next follows (idiom); stepping into the breach to replace fallen comrades

前途
qián tú

prospects

餐前酒
cān qián jiǔ

aperitif

空前绝后
kōng qián jué hòu

unprecedented and never to be duplicated

向前翻腾
xiàng qián fān téng

forward somersault

打前站
dǎ qián zhàn

to set out in advance to make arrangements (board, lodging etc)

前端总线
qián duān zǒng xiàn

(computing) front-side bus (FSB)

前额叶皮质
qián é yè pí zhì

prefrontal cortex (PFC)

前事不忘,后事之师
qián shì bù wàng , hòu shì zhī shī

don't forget past events, they can guide you in future (idiom); benefit from past experience

花前月下
huā qián yuè xià

see 月下花前[yuè xià huā qián]

前门打虎,后门打狼
qián mén dǎ hǔ , hòu mén dǎ láng

to beat a tiger from the front door, only to have a wolf come in at the back (idiom); fig. facing one problem after another

前部皮层下损伤
qián bù pí céng xià sǔn shāng

anterior subcortical lesions

圣诞前夕
shèng dàn qián xī

Christmas eve

目前
mù qián

at the present time

早前
zǎo qián

previously

长江后浪催前浪
cháng jiāng hòu làng cuī qián làng

see 長江後浪推前浪|长江后浪推前浪[cháng jiāng hòu làng tuī qián làng]

一雪前耻
yī xuě qián chǐ

to wipe away a humiliation (idiom)

前瞻
qián zhān

forward-looking

巴前算后
bā qián suàn hòu

thinking and pondering (idiom); to turn sth over in one's mind

前俯后仰
qián fǔ hòu yǎng

to rock one's body backward and forward

先前
xiān qián

before; previously

前段
qián duàn

front part (of an object)

前臼齿
qián jiù chǐ

premolar tooth (immediately behind canine teeth in some mammals)

冰释前嫌
bīng shì qián xián

to forget previous differences

学前教育
xué qián jiào yù

preschool education

前车主
qián chē zhǔ

previous owner (of a car for sale)

前哨战
qián shào zhàn

skirmish

前镇区
qián zhèn qū

Qianzhen or Chienchen district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[gāo xióng shì], south Taiwan

前日
qián rì

day before yesterday

前生冤孽
qián shēng yuān niè

predestined relationship

前列腺素
qián liè xiàn sù

prostaglandin

前廊
qián láng

front porch

丑话说在前头
chǒu huà shuō zài qián tou

let's talk about the unpleasant things first; let's be frank

前生召唤
qián shēng zhào huàn

foreordination

前件
qián jiàn

antecedent (logic)

胸前
xiōng qián

(on the) chest

午前
wǔ qián

morning

前咽
qián yān

prepharynx (biology)

前列
qián liè

the very front

车到山前必有路,船到桥头自然直
chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù , chuán dào qiáo tóu zì rán zhí

everything will turn out all right (idiom)

前不巴村,后不巴店
qián bù bā cūn , hòu bù bā diàn

see 前不著村,後不著店|前不着村,后不着店[qián bù zháo cūn , hòu bù zháo diàn]

鄂托克前旗
è tuō kè qián qí

Otog Front banner or Otgiin Ömnöd khoshuu in Ordos 鄂爾多斯|鄂尔多斯[è ěr duō sī], Inner Mongolia

近前
jìn qián

to come close

察哈尔右翼前旗
chá hā ěr yòu yì qián qí

Chahar Right Front banner or Caxar Baruun Garyn Ömnöd khoshuu in Ulaanchab 烏蘭察布|乌兰察布[wū lán chá bù], Inner Mongolia

前所未闻
qián suǒ wèi wén

unheard-of; unprecedented

黎明前的黑暗
lí míng qián de hēi àn

darkness comes before dawn

蹒跚不前
pán shān bù qián

to falter

前途渺茫
qián tú miǎo máng

not knowing what to do next

眼前
yǎn qián

before one's eyes

大前提
dà qián tí

major premise

开始以前
kāi shǐ yǐ qián

before the beginning (of sth)

史前古器物
shǐ qián gǔ qì wù

prehistoric artifacts

瞻前顾后
zhān qián gù hòu

lit. to look forward and back (idiom)

婚前
hūn qián

premarital

前鼻音
qián bí yīn

alveolar nasal

前途未卜
qián tú wèi bǔ

hanging in the balance

前驱
qián qū

precursor

趑趄不前
zī jū bù qián

hesitant and not daring to move forward (idiom)

往前
wǎng qián

to move forwards

前哨
qián shào

outpost

前列腺炎
qián liè xiàn yán

prostatitis

近在眼前
jìn zài yǎn qián

right under one's nose; right in front of one's eyes; close at hand; imminent

超前瞄准
chāo qián miáo zhǔn

to aim in front of a moving target

超前意识
chāo qián yì shí

foresight

勇往前进
yǒng wǎng qián jìn

see 勇往直前[yǒng wǎng zhí qián]

前辈
qián bèi

senior

前调
qián diào

(perfumery) top note

前导
qián dǎo

to precede

前揭
qián jiē

(the item) named above

提前
tí qián

to shift to an earlier date

前所未有
qián suǒ wèi yǒu

unprecedented

前倾
qián qīng

to lean forward

前方高能
qián fāng gāo néng

(slang) Something awesome is about to happen! (originally, in a Japanese space battleship anime, it meant \Danger! High energy up ahead!\ — a warning to either prepare for battle or take evasive action)

哥林多前书
gē lín duō qián shū

First epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians

前锋
qián fēng

vanguard

稳步不前
wěn bù bù qián

to mark time and make no advances (idiom)

前朝
qián cháo

the previous dynasty

前言
qián yán

preface

上前
shàng qián

to advance; to step forward

前因后果
qián yīn hòu guǒ

cause and effects (idiom); entire process of development

前人栽树,后人乘凉
qián rén zāi shù , hòu rén chéng liáng

to enjoy the benefits of the hard work of one's predecessors. (idiom)

前尘
qián chén

the past

前信号灯
qián xìn hào dēng

car front indicator

空前
kōng qián

unprecedented

前途无量
qián tú wú liàng

to have boundless prospects

在这之前
zài zhè zhī qián

before then

前脚
qián jiǎo

one moment ..., (the next ...)

前胃
qián wèi

proventriculus

前嫌
qián xián

former hatred

前肢
qián zhī

forelimb

马失前蹄
mǎ shī qián tí

lit. the horse loses its front hooves

踏步不前
tà bù bù qián

to be at a standstill

史前
shǐ qián

prehistory

前寒武纪
qián hán wǔ jì

pre-Cambrian, geological period before c. 540m years ago

不听老人言,吃亏在眼前
bù tīng lǎo rén yán , chī kuī zài yǎn qián

(idiom) ignore your elders at your peril

有宝何必人前夸
yǒu bǎo hé bì rén qián kuā

There is no need to boast about one's treasures. (idiom)

前首相
qián shǒu xiàng

former prime minister

前景可期
qián jǐng kě qī

to have a promising future

一往直前
yī wǎng zhí qián

see 一往無前|一往无前[yī wǎng wú qián]

一往无前
yī wǎng wú qián

to advance courageously (idiom)

长江后浪推前浪
cháng jiāng hòu làng tuī qián làng

lit. the rear waves of the Yangtze River drive on those before (idiom)

前甲板
qián jiǎ bǎn

forward deck (of a boat)

前提
qián tí

premise

双后前兵开局
shuāng hòu qián bīng kāi jú

Double Queen Pawn Opening

前照灯
qián zhào dēng

(vehicle) headlight

前齿龈
qián chǐ yín

alveolar

前线
qián xiàn

front line

好汉不吃眼前亏
hǎo hàn bù chī yǎn qián kuī

a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him (idiom)

前边
qián bian

front

提前投票
tí qián tóu piào

early vote

前人
qián rén

predecessor

乌拉特前旗
wū lā tè qián qí

Urat Front banner or Urdyn Ömnöd khoshuu in Bayan Nur 巴彥淖爾|巴彦淖尔[bā yàn nào ěr], Inner Mongolia

前此
qián cǐ

before today

从前
cóng qián
万圣节前夕
wàn shèng jié qián xī

All Saints' Eve

税前
shuì qián

pretax

前缘未了
qián yuán wèi liǎo

one's predestined fate is yet to be fulfilled (idiom)

前段时间
qián duàn shí jiān

recently

前半生
qián bàn shēng

first half of one's life

子癫前症
zǐ diān qián zhèng

pre-eclampsia, toxaemia of pregnancy (medicine)

提前起爆
tí qián qǐ bào

\fizzle\ (atomic bomb misfire)

前科
qián kē

criminal record

在前
zài qián

ahead

前移式叉车
qián yí shì chā chē

reach truck

到目前
dào mù qián

up until now

跟前
gēn qian

(of children, parents etc) at one's side

支前
zhī qián

to support the front (military)

前置修饰语
qián zhì xiū shì yǔ

premodifier (grammar)

关公面前耍大刀
guān gōng miàn qián shuǎ dà dāo

lit. to wield the broadsword in the presence of Lord Guan (idiom)

一直往前
yī zhí wǎng qián

straight ahead

前程远大
qián chéng yuǎn dà

to have a future full of promise

前进
qián jìn

to go forward

前置
qián zhì

to place before

前赴后继
qián fù hòu jì

to advance dauntlessly in wave upon wave (idiom)

前任
qián rèn

predecessor

前所未见
qián suǒ wèi jiàn

unprecedented

前夜
qián yè

the eve

前掠翼
qián lüe4 yì

swept-forward wing (on jet fighter)

纪元前
jì yuán qián

before the common era (BC)

前兆
qián zhào

omen

彼得前书
bǐ dé qián shū

First Epistle of Peter (in New Testament)

承前启后
chéng qián qǐ hòu

to follow the past and herald the future (idiom); part of a historical transition

前郭镇
qián guō zhèn

Qian Gorlos township, capital of Qian Gorlos Mongol autonomous county 前郭爾羅斯蒙古族自治縣|前郭尔罗斯蒙古族自治县, Songyuan, Jilin

前功尽弃
qián gōng jìn qì

to waste all one's previous efforts (idiom)

前茅
qián máo

(fig.) the top ranks

中前卫
zhōng qián wèi

center forward (soccer position)

前世姻缘
qián shì yīn yuán

a marriage predestined in a former life (idiom)

提摩太前书
tí mó tài qián shū

First epistle of St Paul to Timothy

惩前毖后
chéng qián bì hòu

lit. to punish those before to prevent those after (idiom); to criticize former mistakes firmly to prevent them happening again

前门
qián mén

Qianmen subway station on Beijing Subway Line 2

畏缩不前
wèi suō bù qián

to shrink back in fear (idiom); too cowardly to advance

前胸贴后背
qián xiōng tiē hòu bèi

(lit.) chest sticking to back

前锯肌
qián jù jī

serratus anterior muscle (upper sides of the chest)

前总理
qián zǒng lǐ

former prime minister

前沿
qián yán

front-line

公元前
gōng yuán qián

BCE (before the Common Era)

前生
qián shēng

previous life

月下花前
yuè xià huā qián

lit. amidst the flowers under the moonlight (idiom)

前情
qián qíng

former love

前期
qián qī

preceding period

正向前看
zhèng xiàng qián kàn

look-ahead assertion

前妻
qián qī

ex-wife

不久前
bù jiǔ qián

not long ago

前瞻性
qián zhān xìng

farsightedness

前庭
qián tíng

front courtyard

台前县
tái qián xiàn

Taiqian county in Puyang 濮陽|濮阳[pú yáng], Henan

日前
rì qián

the other day

前臂
qián bì

forearm

科尔沁右翼前旗
kē ěr qìn yòu yì qián qí

Horqin right front banner, Mongolian Khorchin Baruun Garyn Ömnöd khoshuu, in Hinggan league 興安盟|兴安盟[xīng ān méng], east Inner Mongolia

前金区
qián jīn qū

Qianjin or Chienchin district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[gāo xióng shì], south Taiwan

科右前旗
kē yòu qián qí

Horqin right front banner, Mongolian Khorchin Baruun Garyn Ömnöd khoshuu, in Hinggan league 興安盟|兴安盟[xīng ān méng], east Inner Mongolia

帖撒罗尼迦前书
tiě sā luó ní jiā qián shū

First epistle of St Paul to the Thessalonians

婚前财产公证
hūn qián cái chǎn gōng zhèng

prenuptial agreement

前半夜
qián bàn yè

first half of the night (from nightfall to midnight)

痛改前非
tòng gǎi qián fēi

completely correcting one's former misdeeds (idiom); to repent past mistakes and turn over a new leaf

前怕狼后怕虎
qián pà láng hòu pà hǔ

lit. to fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind (idiom)

到目前为止
dào mù qián wéi zhǐ

until now; so far

前腿
qián tuǐ

forelegs

各人自扫门前雪,莫管他家瓦上霜
gè rén zì sǎo mén qián xuě , mò guǎn tā jiā wǎ shàng shuāng

sweep the snow from your own door step, don't worry about the frost on your neighbor's roof (idiom)

前燕
qián yān

Former Yan of the Sixteen Kingdoms (337-370)

右前卫
yòu qián wèi

right forward (soccer position)

前例
qián lì

precedent

前面
qián miàn

ahead

前述
qián shù

aforestated

前提条件
qián tí tiáo jiàn

preconditions

车到山前必有路
chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù

lit. when we get to the mountain, there'll be a way through (idiom)

前一向
qián yī xiàng

lately

头向前
tóu xiàng qián

headlong

大前年
dà qián nián

three years ago

前后文
qián hòu wén

context

前苏联
qián sū lián

former Soviet Union

欧车前
ōu chē qián

psyllium (genus Plantago)

前磨齿
qián mó chǐ

premolar tooth

前汉书
qián hàn shū

History of the Former Han Dynasty, second of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[èr shí sì shǐ], composed by Ban Gu 班固[bān gù] in 82 during Eastern Han (later Han), 100 scrolls

向前
xiàng qián

forward

前往
qián wǎng

to leave for; to proceed towards; to go to

前部
qián bù

front part

马前卒
mǎ qián zú

lackey

前奏
qián zòu

prelude

生前
shēng qián

(of a deceased) during one's life

蠕动前进
rú dòng qián jìn

wriggle

前冠
qián guān

heading

前灯
qián dēng

headlight

车前草
chē qián cǎo

plantain herb (Plantago asiatica)

前头
qián tou

in front

在此之前
zài cǐ zhī qián

before that

光前裕后
guāng qián yù hòu

to bring honor to one's ancestors and benefit future generations (idiom)

年前
nián qián

by the end of the year

前镇
qián zhèn

Qianzhen or Chienchen district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[gāo xióng shì], south Taiwan

朝前
cháo qián

facing forwards

前车之覆,后车之鉴
qián chē zhī fù , hòu chē zhī jiàn

lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor

万圣节前夜
wàn shèng jié qián yè

Halloween

旋前肌
xuán qián jī

pronator teres muscle (below the elbow)

史无前例
shǐ wú qián lì

unprecedented in history

前郭县
qián guō xiàn

Qian Gorlos Mongol autonomous county in Songyuan 松原, Jilin

前行
qián xíng

(literary) to go forward

前凉
qián liáng

Former Liang, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms (314-376)

前额
qián é

forehead

前桅
qián wéi

foremast

前敌
qián dí

front line (military)

踌躇不前
chóu chú bù qián

to hesitate to move forward

前不着村,后不着店
qián bù zháo cūn , hòu bù zháo diàn

lit. no village ahead and no inn behind (idiom)

锦绣前程
jǐn xiù qián chéng

bright future

前空翻
qián kōng fān

(acrobatics) front flip

前景
qián jǐng

foreground

前摆
qián bǎi

last time

台前
tái qián

Taiqian county in Puyang 濮陽|濮阳[pú yáng], Henan

前后
qián hòu

around

前赵
qián zhào

Former Zhao of the Sixteen Kingdoms (304-329)

前翅
qián chì

front wing (of insect)

前来
qián lái

to come (formal)

专美于前
zhuān měi yú qián

to monopolize the limelight (idiom)

前缀
qián zhuì

prefix (linguistics)

跋前踬后
bá qián zhì hòu

to trip forwards or stumble back (idiom, from Book of Songs); can't get anything right

前不见古人,后不见来者
qián bù jiàn gǔ rén , hòu bù jiàn lái zhě

unique

婚前性行为
hūn qián xìng xíng wéi

premarital sex

此前
cǐ qián

before this

思前想后
sī qián xiǎng hòu

to consider past cause and future effect (idiom); to think over the past and future

跟前
gēn qián

the front (of)

前不久
qián bù jiǔ

not long ago

前晌
qián shǎng

(dialect) morning

大敌当前
dà dí dāng qián

(idiom) to be faced with a formidable enemy

匍匐前进
pú fú qián jìn

to crawl forward

前列腺
qián liè xiàn

prostate

产前
chǎn qián

prenatal

经济前途
jīng jì qián tú

economic future

前些
qián xiē

a few (days, years etc) ago

前体
qián tǐ

precursor

产前检查
chǎn qián jiǎn chá

prenatal examination

前汉
qián hàn

Former Han dynasty (206 BC-8 AD), also called 西漢|西汉[xī hàn], Western Han dynasty

踟蹰不前
chí chú bu qián

hesitant to take action

前三甲
qián sān jiǎ

top three

鞍前马后
ān qián mǎ hòu

to follow everywhere

前置词
qián zhì cí

preposition

前秦
qián qín

Former Qin of the Sixteen Kingdoms (351-395)

前台
qián tái

stage

前总统
qián zǒng tǒng

former president

之前
zhī qián

before

前者
qián zhě

the former

前戏
qián xì

foreplay

各奔前程
gè bèn qián chéng

each goes his own way (idiom); each person has his own life to lead

前天
qián tiān

the day before yesterday

超前
chāo qián

to be ahead of one's time

前房角
qián fáng jiǎo

anterior chamber (the front chamber of the eye)

前胸
qián xiōng

human chest

前叉
qián chā

fork (bicycle component)

门前
mén qián

in front of the door

勇往直前
yǒng wǎng zhí qián

to advance bravely

前传
qián chuán

forward pass (sport)

前奏曲
qián zòu qǔ

prelude (music)

前郭尔罗斯蒙古族自治县
qián guō ěr luó sī měng gǔ zú zì zhì xiàn

Qian Gorlos Mongol autonomous county in Songyuan 松原, Jilin

前方
qián fāng

ahead

前舱
qián cāng

bow cabin

超前消费
chāo qián xiāo fèi

excessive consumption

左前卫
zuǒ qián wèi

left forward (soccer position)

前程
qián chéng

future (career etc) prospects

当前
dāng qián

the present time

车到山前自有路
chē dào shān qián zì yǒu lù

see 車到山前必有路|车到山前必有路[chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù]

前排
qián pái

front row

前大灯
qián dà dēng

headlight

前端
qián duān

front

前夫
qián fū

former husband

前无古人
qián wú gǔ rén

(idiom) unprecedented

前进区
qián jìn qū

Qianjin district of Kiamusze or Jiamusi city 佳木斯[jiā mù sī], Heilongjiang

前庭窗
qián tíng chuāng

fenestra vestibuli (of inner ear)

前身
qián shēn

forerunner

前一天
qián yī tiān

the day before (an event)

大前天
dà qián tiān

three days ago

前事
qián shì

past events

前夕
qián xī

eve

西元前
xī yuán qián

BCE (before the Common Era)

站前区
zhàn qián qū

Zhanqian district of Yingkou City 營口市|营口市, Liaoning

前因
qián yīn

antecedents

在眼前
zài yǎn qián

now

前无古人,后无来者
qián wú gǔ rén , hòu wú lái zhě

there has never been and never will be another person like this (idiom)

旧前
jiù qián

in the past

前车之鉴
qián chē zhī jiàn

to learn a lesson from the mistakes of one's predecessor (idiom)

不顾前后
bù gù qián hòu

regardless of what's before or after (idiom); rushing blindly into sth

停滞不前
tíng zhì bù qián

stuck and not moving forward (idiom); stagnant

舌尖前音
shé jiān qián yīn

alveolar

前仰后合
qián yǎng hòu hé

to sway to and fro

尽释前嫌
jìn shì qián xián

to forget former enmity (idiom)

前门拒虎,后门进狼
qián mén jù hǔ , hòu mén jìn láng

to beat a tiger from the front door, only to have a wolf come in at the back (idiom); fig. facing one problem after another

前金
qián jīn

Qianjin or Chienchin district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[gāo xióng shì], south Taiwan

前半天
qián bàn tiān

morning

逡巡不前
qūn xún bù qián

to hesitate to move forward

史前人
shǐ qián rén

prehistoric man