从前 (從前)
cóng qián
Pinyin

Definition

从前 (從前)
 - 
cóng qián
  1. previously
  2. formerly
  3. once upon a time

Character Decomposition

Related Words (20)

之前
zhī qián
  1. 1 before
  2. 2 prior to
  3. 3 ago
  4. 4 previously
  5. 5 beforehand
以前
yǐ qián
  1. 1 before
  2. 2 formerly
  3. 3 previous
  4. 4 ago
前
qián
  1. 1 front
  2. 2 forward
  3. 3 ahead
  4. 4 first
  5. 5 top (followed by a number)
  6. 6 future
  7. 7 ago
  8. 8 before
  9. 9 BC (e.g. 前293年)
  10. 10 former
  11. 11 formerly
前世
qián shì
  1. 1 previous generations
  2. 2 previous incarnation (Buddhism)
前来
qián lái
  1. 1 to come (formal)
  2. 2 before
  3. 3 previously

Idioms (20)

一往无前
yī wǎng wú qián
  1. 1 to advance courageously (idiom)
  2. 2 to press forward
不听老人言，吃亏在眼前
bù tīng lǎo rén yán , chī kuī zài yǎn qián
  1. 1 (idiom) ignore your elders at your peril
不顾前后
bù gù qián hòu
  1. 1 regardless of what's before or after (idiom); rushing blindly into sth
五百年前是一家
wǔ bǎi nián qián shì yī jiā
  1. 1 five hundred years ago we were the same family (idiom) (said of persons with the same surname)
停滞不前
tíng zhì bù qián
  1. 1 stuck and not moving forward (idiom); stagnant
  2. 2 in a rut
  3. 3 at a standstill

Sample Sentences

这倒是，从前大家结婚就买个金戒指，既经济又实惠。而且我们传统上也更喜欢颜色喜庆一点儿的宝石，比如翡翠什么的。
zhè dàoshì ，cóngqián dàjiā jiéhūn jiù mǎi ge jīn jièzhi ，jì jīngjì yòu shíhuì 。érqiě wǒmen chuántǒng shàng yě gèng xǐhuan yánsè xǐqìng yīdiǎnr de bǎoshí ，bǐrú fěicuì shénme de 。
That is true. In the past, everyone just bought a gold ring when they got married. It was economical and had a tangible benefit. And traditionally, we liked gems with happy colors, like jadeite and such.
Go to Lesson 
你从前总是很小心
nǐ cóngqián zǒngshì hěn xiǎoxīn
You always took such care
Go to Lesson 
从前的日子都远去
cóngqián de rìzi dōu yuǎn qù
Those days before are long gone
Go to Lesson 
好。从前，有三只可爱的小猪……
hǎo 。cóngqián ，yǒu sān zhī kě ài de xiǎo zhū ……
Okay. Once upon a time, there were three cute little pigs...
Go to Lesson 
从前，有一位单身汉。他非常勤劳，每天都去地里干活。
cóngqián ，yǒu yī wèi dānshēnhàn 。tā fēicháng qínláo ，měitiān dōu qù dì lǐ gànhuó 。
Once upon a time there was a bachelor. He was very industrious. Every day he went out to work in the fields.
Go to Lesson 
从前
cóngqián
long ago
Go to Lesson 
从前"一般用在讲故事的开头。
cóngqián "yībān yòng zài jiǎng gùshi de kāitóu 。
'从前' is usually used in the beginning of a story.
Go to Lesson 
从前有座山，山上有座庙。庙里有一个老和尚和一个小和尚。老和尚对小和尚说："从前有座山，山上有座庙。..."
cóngqián yǒu zuò shān ，shān shàng yǒu zuò miào 。miào lǐ yǒu yī ge lǎo héshang hé yī ge xiǎo héshang 。lǎo héshang duì xiǎo héshang shuō ："cóngqián yǒu zuò shān ，shān shàng yǒu zuò miào 。..."
Long ago, there was a mountain. On the mountain, there was a temple. In the temple there was an old monk, and a young monk. The old monk said to the young monk, 'Long ago, there was a mountain. On the mountain there was a temple'...
Go to Lesson 
老和尚对小和尚说，从前有座山，山上有座庙，庙里有个老和尚和小和尚......
lǎo héshang duì xiǎo héshang shuō ，cóngqián yǒu zuò shān ，shān shàng yǒu zuò miào ，miào lǐ yǒu ge lǎo héshang hé xiǎo héshang ......
The old monk said to the young monk: A long time ago there was a mountain. On the mountain there was a temple. In the temple there was an old monk and a young monk….
Go to Lesson 
老和尚对小和尚说，从前有座山，山上有座庙，庙里有个老和尚和小和尚。
lǎo héshang duì xiǎo héshang shuō ，cóngqián yǒu zuò shān ，shān shàng yǒu zuò miào ，miào lǐ yǒu ge lǎo héshang hé xiǎo héshang 。
The old monk said to the young monk: A long time ago there was a mountain. On the mountain there was a temple. In the temple there was an old monk and a young monk.
Go to Lesson