以前 (before)

• Pinyin: yǐqián
• Formation: Time / Verb Phrase + 以前，Clause
• Hanzi breakdown: 以 = 人 (person, variant) + 丨; 前 = 八 (divide) + 刂(knife) + 月 (moon/flesh)

Meaning

The word 以前 (yǐqián) means 'before' and is placed after a time expression or verb phrase to indicate that something happened before that point in time.

以前 functions as a time marker that anchors an event before a reference point. When placed after a specific time ('三点以前' — before three o'clock), it sets a deadline. When placed after a verb phrase ('来中国以前' — before coming to China), it establishes temporal sequence. Used alone, 以前 means 'in the past' or 'formerly.' Note the word order difference from English: Chinese puts 以前 after the time reference, not before. Its counterpart 以后 (yǐhòu) means 'after' and follows the same structural pattern.

Examples

1. 吃饭以前要先洗手。 You should wash your hands before eating.
2. 三年以前，我还住在老家。 Three years ago, I was still living in my hometown.
3. 出门以前，记得带上钥匙。 Before going out, remember to bring your keys.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 睡觉以前，我通常看半个小时的书。
• 十年以前，这里还是一片农田。
• 上课以前，同学们在走廊里聊天。

Don't Say

• 以前吃饭要洗手。(When using 以前 with a verb phrase, the verb phrase must come before 以前, not after — word order is reversed compared to English) → 吃饭以前要洗手。
• 我以前三年住在上海。(When specifying a time duration, place the duration before 以前 — say 三年以前, not 以前三年) → 三年以前我住在上海。

Origin & History

以 means 'by means of' and 前 means 'front/before.' Together they literally mean 'taking (this point) as the front,' i.e., everything that comes before this reference point in time.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal