前 – JLPT N5 Kanji, Kanji for before, in front (With 3D Visualization)
Kanji for before, in front
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Find visually similar kanji, commonly confused characters, related meanings, and useful words connected to 前.
前
- Meanings
- before, in front
- Onyomi
- ゼン
- Kunyomi
- まえ
- Name Readings
- さき, さと, まい
- JLPT
- N5
- Grade
- 2
- Frequency
- -
- Kanji Writing Practice
- Practice
Stroke Order
Story
The kanji 前 combines two key parts: the radical for “movement” (止 – foot or step) at the bottom and a top part showing a slashed-off piece of meat (刈 or 月 in older forms). In ancient times, this showed a person stepping forward to prepare or present food — an act done “in front.” From this image, 前 came to mean “before” or “in front,” both in place and time. It reflects stepping ahead or something that comes earlier.
Short Story
A person stepping forward to present something — 前 means “in front” or “before,” the idea of moving ahead or being earlier.
Mnemonic
Picture yourself stepping forward (止) to offer something with both hands — you’re now in front, before everyone else. That’s 前, the kanji for “before” and “ahead.”
Vocabulary Examples
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 前 | ぜん | last (i.e. immediately preceding), previous, ex-, former | common JLPT-N1 Noun, used as a prefix |
| 先 | さき | point, tip, end, nozzle | common JLPT-N5 Noun |
| 前 | まえ | in front (of), before (e.g. a building) | common JLPT-N5 Noun |
| 前提 | ぜんてい | condition, assumption, prerequisite, hypothesis | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 前進 | ぜんしん | advance, moving forward, progress | common JLPT-N3 Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb |
| 前者 | ぜんしゃ | the former, the first | common JLPT-N3 Noun |
| 前後 | ぜんご | front and rear, front and back, before and behind, back and forth | common JLPT-N2 Noun |
| 前途 | ぜんと | future, prospects, outlook | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 前例 | ぜんれい | precedent | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 前売り | まえうり | advance sale, booking | common JLPT-N1 Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |