Japanese word

前

Pronunciation

Romajimae

Meaning

  • nounin front, before

Example

学校の前で待ちます。gak kō no mae de ma chi ma su

I wait in front of the school.

Illustration for 前 (in front)

More examples

晩ご飯の前に宿題をします。ban go han no mae ni shuku dai o shi ma su

I do my homework before dinner.

郵便局は公園の前にあります。yū bin kyoku wa kō en no mae ni a ri ma su

The post office is in front of the park.

Core concept

Identifies what lies on the forward side of something or occurs earlier than a given time.

Common phrases

  • 学校の前gak kō no mae

    in front of the school

  • 前で待つmae de ma tsu

    wait in front

  • 建物の前に立つtate mono no mae ni ta tsu

    stand in front of the building

Similar words

手前temae: The nearer side of a place or object from a given viewpoint.
正面shōmen: The side that directly faces an observer or another object.
前方zenpō: The direction or area lying ahead of a person or object.

Definition in Japanese

ある物を基準にした前方の場所、または基準となる時点より先の時期。a ru mono o ki jun ni shi ta zen pō no ba sho ma ta wa ki jun to na ru ji ten yo ri saki no ji ki

Word origin

前 (mae) is a native Japanese word historically written as mahe, while 前 (zen, "front") supplies the kanji meaning associated with being ahead.

Usage tips

  • Japanese uses 前 (mae) in 前売り (maeuri, "advance sale") for something offered before its usual sale period, extending the word's spatial sense of being ahead into time.

Opposites

Word lists with this word