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前

On'yomi
ゼン
ZEN
Kun'yomi
まえ・-まえ
mae / mae

in front · before

Details

Strokes9
Frequency#27
Radical刀knife(2)

Stroke Order

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Strokes9

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of '止' (foot) and '舟' (boat). Standing at front of boat, advancing.

Symbolism

Progress, future, surface. Represents 'forward-looking' attitude.

Component Breakdown

前=
䒑刖

䒑 + 刖

Words & Expressions

Words written with 前

前兆ぜんちょうomen
名前なまえname
以前いぜんbefore
前者ぜんしゃformer
前方ぜんぽうforward

Four-Character Compounds

空前絶後

くうぜんぜつご

(so marvelous or horrible that it may be) the first and probably the last

手前味噌

てまえみそ

self-flattery; singing one's own praises

前後不覚

ぜんごふかく

unconsciousness; having no recollection of one's actions

前代未聞

ぜんだいみもん

unheard-of; unprecedented; unparalleled in history (unparallelled)

前途有望

ぜんとゆうぼう

promising future

前人未到

ぜんじんみとう

untrodden (region, field of study, etc.); unprecedented (discovery, achievement, etc.)

手前勝手

てまえがって

self-centered; self-centred; selfish

前途遼遠

ぜんとりょうえん

having a long way to go; having a long road ahead of one; being a long way off

前途多難

ぜんとたなん

having many difficulties in store; grim prospects

前途洋々

ぜんとようよう

with a rosy future; offering promising prospects

門前雀羅

もんぜんじゃくら

(a house) looking deserted with few visitors; sparrow net in front of the gate

史上空前

しじょうくうぜん

unprecedented in history; unheard-of; epoch-making

前虎後狼

ぜんここうろう

one calamity followed close on the heels of another; out of the frying pan into the fire; tiger in front, wolf in the back

前後矛盾

ぜんごむじゅん

self-contradiction; self-inconsistency

前程万里

ぜんていばんり

a bright (rosy) future awaiting one; having the world before one

前途多望

ぜんとたぼう

promising (rosy, bright) future; offering promising prospects

門前成市

もんぜんせいし

having a constant stream of visitors; being thronged with callers

匍匐前進

ほふくぜんしん

crawling forward (on one's stomach)

前言往行

ぜんげんおうこう

words and deeds of the people of yore

Proverbs & Idioms

前門の虎、後門の狼

ぜんもんのとら、こうもんのおおかみ

Tiger at the front gate, wolf at the back

Out of the frying pan into the fire

前車の覆るは後車の戒め

ぜんしゃのくつがえるはこうしゃのいましめ

The overturned front cart warns the rear

Learn from others mistakes

Poetry

俳句 (Haiku)

五月雨や大河を前に家二軒

The rains of the fifth month — two houses facing a swollen river.

与謝蕪村Yosa Buson
1777

Anime & Manga

あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない。

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Anime

A well-known work with 前 in its Japanese title.

呪術廻戦 死滅回游 前編

JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1

Anime

A well-known work with 前 in its Japanese title.

進撃の巨人 The Final Season完結編 前編

Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 1

Anime

A well-known work with 前 in its Japanese title.

私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!

WataMote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!

Anime

A well-known work with 前 in its Japanese title.

俺を好きなのはお前だけかよ

ORESUKI: Are you the only one who loves me?

Anime

A well-known work with 前 in its Japanese title.

Related Figures & Stories

巴御前

Tomoe Gozen1157–1247

Name contains 前

Tomoe Gozen was an onna-musha, a female samurai, mentioned in The Tale of the Heike.

Wikipedia

前田利家

Maeda Toshiie1538–1599

Name contains 前

Maeda Toshiie was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi–Momoyama…

Wikipedia

板額御前

Hangaku Gozenb. 1200

Name contains 前

Lady Hangaku was a onna-musha warrior, one of the few Japanese warrior women commonly known in history or classical literature.

Wikipedia

静御前

Shizuka Gozen1165–1211

Name contains 前

Shizuka Gozen , or Lady Shizuka, one of the most famous women in Japanese history and literature, was a shirabyōshi of the 12th century, and a…

Wikipedia

Other kanji with the same meaning

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 前 mean in Japanese?

前 means in front, before.

How do you read 前?

On'yomi: ゼン (ZEN). Kun'yomi: まえ、-まえ (mae, mae).

How many strokes does 前 have?

前 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 刀 (knife).

Is 前 a good kanji for a tattoo?

前 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means in front, before. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.

Explore by meaning:before