Meaning
前 covers two types of location at once: physical space and time. Spatially, it means in front of something. Temporally, it means before an event. That dual role explains why it shows up constantly in everyday Japanese — telling someone where to meet you, describing what happened last week, or reading a medicine label.
The character has a layered history. Its upper portion originally depicted a foot or boat moving forward; the lower element 刀 (knife) suggested cutting a path ahead. Over centuries of use in Chinese and then Japanese, the two pieces merged into a single idea: something that precedes, leads, or faces forward. The stacked structure of the character can be imagined as layers of time arranged front to back.
Nine strokes, Grade 2 — Japanese children encounter 前 around age 7–8 and never stop using it. Newspapers, street signs, medicine bottles, casual conversation: 前 is everywhere. Its N5 classification feels earned.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
前 reads as ゼン (zen) in compound words. This reading traces back to the historical Chinese pronunciation and almost always appears when 前 pairs with another kanji — especially in formal or abstract contexts.
- 前後 (zengo) — before and after; front and back; approximately
- 前半 (zenhan) — first half
- 前進 (zenshin) — advance, forward movement
- 前提 (zentei) — premise, prerequisite
In each case, ゼン carries the "before" or "front" meaning into the compound.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The native readings are まえ (mae) and the suffix -まえ (-mae). まえ works as a standalone noun meaning "front" or "before." The suffix form attaches to words to indicate a portion or period relative to something else.
- 前 (mae) — front, before (standalone)
- 名前 (namae) — name
- 前向き (maemuki) — forward-facing, positive, proactive
- 二人前 (futarimae) — serving for two people
- 一人前 (ichininmae) — a full portion; a capable adult
Common Words & Compounds
前 turns up across a wide range of contexts — time, direction, rank, and quantity. Here are the most useful compounds for N5 learners, grouped by theme.
Time-related compounds
- 午前 (gozen) — morning, AM (literally "before noon")
- 前日 (zenjitsu) — the day before
- 以前 (izen) — before, formerly
- 前年 (zennen) — the previous year
- 食前 (shokuzen) — before a meal (common on medicine labels)
Position & direction compounds
- 前方 (zenpou) — ahead, forward
- 前列 (zenretsu) — front row
- 前面 (zenmen) — front surface, front side
- 駅前 (ekimae) — in front of the station
Sequential & rank compounds
- 前回 (zenkai) — last time, the previous occasion
- 前者 (zensha) — the former (of two)
- 前置き (maeoki) — preface, preamble
Example Sentences
駅の前で待っています。
Eki no mae de matte imasu.
I'm waiting in front of the station.
名前を教えてください。
Namae wo oshiete kudasai.
Please tell me your name.
午前10時に会議があります。
Gozen juu-ji ni kaigi ga arimasu.
There's a meeting at 10 AM.
食事の前に手を洗いましょう。
Shokuji no mae ni te wo araimashou.
Let's wash our hands before eating.
以前、この場所に学校がありました。
Izen, kono basho ni gakkou ga arimashita.
There used to be a school here.
前の席に座ってもいいですか。
Mae no seki ni suwatte mo ii desu ka.
May I sit in the front seat?
前回のテストより今回のほうがむずかしかった。
Zenkai no tesuto yori konkai no hou ga muzukashikatta.
This test was harder than the last one.
彼女は前向きな人だと思います。
Kanojo wa maemuki na hito da to omoimasu.
I think she's a very positive person.
三人前のラーメンを注文した。
Sannin-mae no raamen wo chuumon shita.
I ordered ramen for three.
Related Kanji
- 今 — Now, Present (Kanji N5)
- 上 — Above, Up (Kanji N5)
- 時 — Time, Hour (Kanji N5)
- 半 — Half (Kanji N5)
- 分 — Minute, Part, Divide, Understand (Kanji N5)
- 金 — Gold, Money, Metal (Kanji N5)
Memory Tip
Picture yourself standing before a pair of doors, about to step through. The upper part of 前 suggests legs moving forward; the 刀 (knife) at the bottom is cutting a path into what comes next — and severing the past behind you.
A more grounded anchor: 名前 (name) is one of the first words you learn in Japanese. Your teacher asks for it on day one. It contains 前 because your name is what you put in front of yourself when you introduce who you are. Lock 前 to 名前, and both words stick.
For Vietnamese learners, the Hán-Việt reading TIỀN (前) already feels familiar — it appears in tiền tuyến (front line), tiền bối (senior/elder), and tiền đề (premise). The kanji and the Sino-Vietnamese word share the same Chinese origin.