HSK 2 · Past & present

以前

yǐ qián

before; formerly

Stroke order of 以前

2 characters, 13 strokes in total. Watch the animation, then try writing it yourself.

以 · 4 strokes前 · 9 strokes

Memory trick

Using '以' the front '前' of the timeline, you look back to before.

Parts: 以 by; with + 前 front; before

The characters in 以前

前 qián — front; before (9 strokes)

Example sentence

我以前没来过北京。

I had never been to Beijing before.

Words with 以

以后after; later 以为to think (wrongly)可以can; may 所以so; therefore 以上above; more than 以下below; less than 以外beyond; apart from 以来since

Words with 前

前天day before yesterday 前front; before 前边in front 前年the year before last 面前in front of 眼前before one's eyes; at present 前面in front; ahead 前往to go to; to head for 前进to go forward; to advance 从前before; in the past 提前in advance; to move up 目前at present; currently 前后around; from start to end

More words: Past & present

当时at that time 那时at that time 那时候at that time 那会儿at that time 这时at this time 这时候at this moment 后来afterwards; later 以后after; later 今后from now on 过去the past; to go over 最近recently 原来originally; so it turns out 已经already 早就long ago; already

Learn to write it by hand

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