先前
Old HSK 6
先前 (xiānqián) · before
先前 (xiānqián) means “before; previously”. It is written with 2 characters: 先 (first) + 前 (front). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).
How 先前 is built
The characters
先 xiān · first
What 先 is made of
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
- 儿ér — child
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 乚 — hook stroke
Origin hint: Someone stepping 止 in front of another person 儿 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
前 qián · front
What 前 is made of
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 刖yuè — cutting off the feet as a form of punishment
- 月yuè — moon; month
- 冂 — frame
- 二 — two strokes
- 刂dāo — knife
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 亅 — hook
- 月yuè — moon; month
Example sentences
他比先前胖了一些。Tā bǐ xiānqián pàng le yìxiē.He's a bit fatter than before.
先前的计划已经改变了。Xiānqián de jìhuà yǐjīng gǎibiàn le.The previous plan has been changed.
Questions about 先前
What does 先前 mean?
先前 (xiānqián) means “before; previously”.
How do you pronounce 先前?
先前 is pronounced xiānqián.
Which HSK level is 先前?
先前 is in Old HSK 6.
Related words
- 先生xiānshengMr
- 领先lǐngxiānto lead
- 首先shǒuxiānfirst
- 先进xiānjìnadvanced
- 事先shìxiānin advance
- 率先shuàixiānto take the lead
- 优先yōuxiānto have priority
- 预先yùxiānin advance
- 原先yuánxiānoriginally
- 争先恐后zhēngxiānkǒnghòuto scramble to be first
Learn 先前 with its group
It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 195: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.