之前

• Pinyin: zhī qián
• Hanzi breakdown: 之 = classical structural particle; 前 = 止 (foot) + 刀 (knife) + 月 (moon), front/before

Meaning

Before; prior to; previously. Indicates that something occurs before a stated event or time.

Placed directly after a noun phrase or clause: 出发之前 (before departing), 认识你之前 (before I knew you). Widely used in both spoken and written Chinese. A more formal variant of 以前. Can also refer to spatial position (in front of) but this use is less common in modern Mandarin.

Examples

1. 开会之前，请大家关掉手机或调成静音。 Before the meeting starts, please turn off your phones or switch them to silent.
2. 他在大学毕业之前就已经找到了一份理想的工作。 He had already found an ideal job before graduating from university.
3. 旅行之前做好充分的准备，可以避免很多麻烦。 Making thorough preparations before a trip can help you avoid a lot of trouble.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, writing, planning

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 睡觉之前最好不要喝咖啡或浓茶。(Before going to sleep, it's best not to drink coffee or strong tea.)
• 手术之前，医生会详细解释手术的风险和过程。(Before the operation, the doctor will explain the risks and procedure in detail.)

Don't Say

• 把'之前'当作'以前'的完全等价词 (Don't treat 之前 as fully interchangeable with 以前 in all contexts — 以前 can stand alone meaning 'in the past', while 之前 usually requires a reference point before it)

Origin & History

From 之 (structural particle) and 前 (front/before, 止 foot + 刀 knife + 月 moon), a classical construction used to indicate temporal precedence.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal