Korean Conversation · Level 59
15 words
Korean word
전
Pronunciation
Romanizationcheon
Meaning
- nounago
Example
저는 한 시간 전에 도착했어요.cheo neun han si gan cheo ne to cha kae sseo yo
I arrived an hour ago.
More examples
운동 전에는 가볍게 스트레칭해요.un dong cheo ne neun ka byeop kke seu teu re ching hae yo
Before exercise, I do some light stretching.
Core concept
A point on the timeline that lies earlier than now.
Common phrases
운동 전un dong cheon
before exercise
회의 전hoe ui cheon
before the meeting
Similar words
이전ijeon: An earlier time or state in relation to an event or another reference point.
과거kwageo: The time and events that came before the present.
Definition in Korean
과거의 어느 시점을 가리켜 지금보다 이전임을 나타내는 한자어로, 명사로 쓰여 시간 표현과 함께 쓰인다.kwa geo ui eo neu si jeo meul ka ri kyeo chi geum bo da i jeo ni meul na ta nae neun han ja eo ro myeong sa ro sseu yeo si gan pyo hyeon gwa ham kke sseu in da
Word origin
The word is Sino-Korean and traces back to a Chinese character for before, so its time meaning points backward from now.
Usage tips
- When a past time is counted in hours, days, or years, the number and time word come first, followed by this word, which helps build the phrase in the right order.