HSK · Level 109
45 words
Chinese word
生前
Pronunciation
Pinyinshēng qián
Meaning
- adverbduring one's lifetime
Example
他生前是个老师。tā shēng qián shì gè lǎo shī
He was a teacher during his lifetime.
More examples
这位老人生前做过多次手术。zhè wèi lǎo rén shēng qián zuò guò duō cì shǒu shù
This elderly man underwent surgery many times during his lifetime.
Core concept
A person's living period viewed in retrospect from the boundary of death.
Common phrases
生前接受采访shēng qián jiē shòu cái fǎng
be interviewed during one's lifetime
生前担任校长shēng qián dān rèn xiào zhǎng
serve as principal during one's lifetime
生前做过手术shēng qián zuò guò shǒu shù
undergo surgery during one's lifetime
Similar words
死前sǐ qián: Before someone dies, with attention to the period close to the end of life.
去世前qù shì qián: Before someone passes away, marking an event that occurs while the person remains alive.
临终前lín zhōng qián: In the time just before death, often in a scene about a person's final illness or moments.
在世时zài shì shí: At a time when someone is still alive, describing an action or situation from that life.
Definition in Chinese
表示某人在去世前的一段时间或其在世时的情况，多用于回忆或描述逝者的身份、习惯或留下的事物。biǎo shì mǒu rén zài qù shì qián de yí duàn shí jiān huò qí zài shì shí de qíng kuàng duō yòng yú huí yì huò miáo shù shì zhě de shēn fèn xí guàn huò liú xià de shì wù
Word origin
生前 (shēngqián, "during one's lifetime") is formed from 生 (shēng, "to live") and 前 (qián, "before"), so its time reference points to the period before a person's death.
Usage tips
- A practical conversation cue is that this time adverb often comes before a noun or a description of past conduct, framing a person's former role, habits, belongings, or work.
Other meanings
- before deathadverb
Opposites
- 死后sǐ hòuafter deathadverb
Related words
- 生前照片shēng qián zhào piānphotograph taken during one's lifetimenoun
- 生前遗物shēng qián yí wùpersonal effects from one's lifetimenoun