How to Write 前 (qián) — Meaning “front; before; former”

Imagine a knife (刂) cutting in front of a crescent moon (月) to make a path forward. The top part 䒑 looks like two small hands pushing the knife, so you can think: 'Hands push the knife in front of the moon to go ahead.'

Write the top part first: dot, horizontal line, then a left-falling stroke. Next is the middle: a vertical line, then the moon's frame (vertical, horizontal fold, two horizontals). Finally, add the knife on the right: vertical line and a hook. A common mistake is making the top too wide or forgetting the dot.

All three have the knife radical 刂 on the right, but their left sides differ. 前 has 䒑+月 (like a moon under a lid), 删 has 册 (meaning book or document), and 判 has 半 (meaning half). So 前 is about 'front' or 'previous', 删 is about 'delete' (cutting a book), and 判 is about 'judge' (cutting a half).

前 is very common for both space and time. For space, use 前面 (in front). For time, use 以前 (before) and 前天 (the day before yesterday). It can also mean 'former', like in 前总统 (former president). Remember: when giving directions, 前 often means 'straight ahead'.

Common words containing 前 include: 前面 (qián miàn) — In front / Ahead; 以前 (yǐ qián) — before; previously; in the past; 前天 (qián tiān) — the day before yesterday.