前
in front · before
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
䒑 + 刖
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of '止' (foot) and '舟' (boat). Standing at front of boat, advancing.
Symbolism
Progress, future, surface. Represents 'forward-looking' attitude.
Words & Expressions
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; (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; self-flattery
前後不覚
ぜんごふかく
unconsciousness; having no recollection of one's actions; unconsciousness
前代未聞
ぜんだいみもん
unheard-of; unprecedented; unparalleled in history (unparallelled); unheard-of
前途有望
ぜんとゆうぼう
promising future; promising future
前人未到
ぜんじんみとう
untrodden (region, field of study, etc.); unprecedented (discovery, achievement, etc.); untrodden (region, field of study, etc.)
手前勝手
てまえがって
self-centered; self-centred; selfish; self-centered
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; having a long way to go
前途多難
ぜんとたなん
having many difficulties in store; grim prospects; having many difficulties in store
前途洋々
ぜんとようよう
with a rosy future; offering promising prospects; with a rosy future
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; (a house) looking deserted with few visitors
史上空前
しじょうくうぜん
unprecedented in history; unheard-of; epoch-making; unprecedented in history
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; one calamity followed close on the heels of another
前後矛盾
ぜんごむじゅん
self-contradiction; self-inconsistency; self-contradiction
前程万里
ぜんていばんり
a bright (rosy) future awaiting one; having the world before one; a bright (rosy) future awaiting one
前途多望
ぜんとたぼう
promising (rosy, bright) future; offering promising prospects; promising (rosy, bright) future
門前成市
もんぜんせいし
having a constant stream of visitors; being thronged with callers; having a constant stream of visitors
匍匐前進
ほふくぜんしん
crawling forward (on one's stomach); 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; 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
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