Chinese word

前期

Pronunciation

Pinyinqián qī

Meaning

  • nounfirst semester

Example

学校的前期课程和后期不一样。xué xiào de qián qī kè chéng hé hòu qī bù yí yàng

The school's first-semester classes are different from those in the second semester.

Illustration for 前期 (first semester)

More examples

前期调研为项目顺利推进奠定了基础。qián qī diào yán wèi xiàng mù shùn lì tuī jìn diàn dìng le jī chǔ

The preliminary research laid the foundation for the project's smooth progress.

Core concept

The earlier stretch of a larger period, before its later part begins.

Common phrases

  • 前期阶段qián qī jiē duàn

    preliminary stage

  • 前期调研qián qī diào yán

    preliminary research

  • 前期规划qián qī guī huà

    preliminary planning

Similar words

上学期shàng xué qī: The first school semester in an academic year.
上半期shàng bàn qī: The first six months of a year.
前半qián bàn: The first part of a period or event divided into two parts.

Definition in Chinese

指某一时期内处于先行位置的一段时间，既可指学期的前半，也可指事物的初期阶段。zhǐ mǒu yì shí qī nèi chǔ yú xiān xíng wèi zhì de yí duàn shí jiān jì kě zhǐ xué qī de qián bàn yě kě zhǐ shì wù de chū qī jiē duàn

Word origin

前 (qián, "ahead") + 期 (qī, "period") forms a word for the period that comes earlier within a larger period or sequence.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese, one word can cover the opening stage of a course, project, or process, so the surrounding topic often identifies the kind of period being discussed.

Other meanings

  • first halfnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word