前
qián
front
forward; ahead; first; top (followed by a number); future; ago; before; BC (e.g. 前293年); former; formerly
cutting edge (丷一) + severed foot (刖) = who goes first, out front
刖 depicts punishment by foot amputation — to move forward, one must literally be in front. 丷 and 一 together suggest a blade or cutting edge, reinforcing the severing imagery that historically grounds this character's sense of leading position.
他站在队伍的前面。
tā zhàn zài duì wu de qián miàn。
He is standing at the front of the line.
我三天前就把作业交了。
wǒ sān tiān qián jiù bǎ zuò yè jiāo le。
I already handed in my homework three days ago.
Words with 前
前天
qián tiān
the day before yesterday
前列
qián liè
the very front
前后
qián hòu
around
前景
qián jǐng
foreground
名列前茅
míng liè qián máo
to rank among the best
西元前
xī yuán qián
BCE (before the Common Era)
瞻前顾后
zhān qián gù hòu
lit. to look forward and back (idiom)
之前
zhī qián
before
前台
qián tái
stage
前程
qián chéng
future (career etc) prospects
前男友
qián nán yǒu
ex-boyfriend
前功尽弃
qián gōng jìn qì
to waste all one's previous efforts (idiom)