Japanese word

手前

Pronunciation

Romajitemae

Meaning

  • nounbefore

Example

駅の手前で降ります。eki no te mae de o ri ma su

I get off before the station.

Illustration for 手前 (before)

More examples

交差点の手前で車を止めます。kō sa ten no te mae de kuruma o to me ma su

I stop the car before the intersection.

Core concept

Sets a reference point and locates something on the speaker's side of it rather than beyond it.

Common phrases

  • 駅の手前eki no te mae

    before the station

Similar words

前mae: A place or point located before a stated landmark, object, or event.
直前chokuzen: A place directly before a stated landmark or point is reached.
目の前menomae: A place directly in front of a person or object and easy to see.

Definition in Japanese

基準にする場所や物よりもこちら側にあること、またはその近く。ki jun ni su ru ba sho ya mono yo ri mo ko chi ra gawa ni a ru ko to ma ta wa so no chika ku

Word origin

手前 (temae) combines 手 (te, "side or position") with 前 (mae, "before"), and its spatial meaning refers to the nearer side of a reference point.

Usage tips

  • Unlike a time expression, 手前 (temae) in a route such as 駅の手前 (eki no temae) indicates a place before the station is reached.

Other meanings

  • in front of ___noun
  • near ___noun

Opposites

Word lists with this word