前年
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)
前年 (qiánnián) · the year before last
前年 (qiánnián) means “the year before last”. It is written with 2 characters: 前 (front) + 年 (year). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 前年 is built
The characters
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
年 nián · year
What 年 is made of
- 干gàn — dry (gān)
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
Origin hint: A man 干 carrying grain, representing the annual harvest (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
我前年去了北京。Wǒ qiánnián qù le Běijīng.I went to Beijing the year before last.
你前年在哪儿工作？Nǐ qiánnián zài nǎr gōngzuò?Where did you work the year before last?
Questions about 前年
What does 前年 mean?
前年 (qiánnián) means “the year before last”.
How do you pronounce 前年?
前年 is pronounced qiánnián.
Which HSK level is 前年?
前年 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021).
Related words
- 前边qiánbianin front
- 前天qiántiānday before yesterday
- 面前miànqiánin front of
- 以前yǐqiánbefore
- 从前cóngqiánbefore
- 目前mùqiánat present
- 前后qiánhòuaround (a time)
- 前进qiánjìnto go forward
- 前面qiánmiànin front
- 前往qiánwǎngto go to
Learn 前年 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 45: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.