前述

• Reading: ぜんじゅつ
• Romaji: zenjutsu
• Kanji breakdown: 前 (zen/mae) — before, previous; 述 (jutsu/no) — state, describe, mention
• Pronunciation: /zeɴ.dʑɯ.tsɯ/

Meaning

Aforementioned; above-mentioned. Refers back to something previously stated in writing or speech.

A noun and no-adjective used in formal writing and presentations to refer to something already mentioned. Common patterns include 前述の通り (as mentioned above), 前述した (previously stated), and 前述の問題 (the aforementioned issue). Primarily a written-language word; in casual speech, さっき言った (what I said earlier) is preferred. The verb form 前述する means 'to mention previously.'

Examples

1. 前述の通り、この計画にはいくつかの課題がある。 As mentioned above, this plan has several challenges.
2. 前述した理由により、提案を修正する必要がある。 For the reasons stated above, the proposal needs to be revised.
3. 詳しくは前述の章を参照してください。 For details, please refer to the aforementioned chapter.

Usage Guide

Context: academic writing, business documents, presentations

Tone: formal

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 前 (zen, before/previous) + 述 (jutsu, to state/describe). A compound meaning 'stated before,' widely used in academic and formal Japanese writing.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal