予め

• Reading: あらかじめ
• Romaji: arakajime
• Kanji breakdown: 予 (ara) — beforehand, advance, previous
• Pronunciation: /a.ɾa.ka.dʑi.me/

Meaning

Beforehand; in advance; ahead of time. Doing something as preparation before an event.

An adverb used to indicate that an action is taken in advance of something. More formal than 前もって (maemotte) and frequently appears in written instructions, notices, and business communication. Common patterns include 予めご了承ください (please understand in advance) and 予め準備する (to prepare beforehand).

Examples

1. 予めチケットを買っておくと安くなります。 Buying tickets in advance will get you a discount.
2. 予めご了承の上お申し込みください。 Please apply after reading and agreeing to the terms in advance.
3. 材料は予め切っておくと調理がスムーズだ。 If you prep the ingredients beforehand, cooking goes more smoothly.

Usage Guide

Context: business, instructions, announcements, cooking

Tone: practical

Origin & History

From あら (ara, rough/preliminary) + かじめ (kajime, preparation/arrangement). Literally 'with rough preparation,' indicating preliminary action taken before the main event.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal