zhī之qián前(Mandarin)(Cantonese)
zhī之
qián前
(Mandarin)
(Cantonese)
HSK 4
Dictionary
before/prior to/ago/previously/beforehand
Examples
我昨天之前已经完成了作业。
Wǒ zuótiān zhīqián yǐjīng wánchéngle zuòyè.
→ I had already finished my homework before yesterday.
Did You Know?
Word Order
Word Formation
之 is a possessive particle and 前 means 'front' or 'before'.
Usage Tips
之前 is placed after a time or event to mean 'before', e.g., 吃饭之前 (before eating), and can start a sentence: 之前,我住在北京 (Before, I lived in Beijing).