公元前
gōngyuánqián
The English phrase "b.c." (before Christ) can be translated into Chinese as 公元前 (gōngyuánqián).
公元前 is used to label years before the start of the common era. Note that while English speakers place "B.C." after the year (e.g., 200 B.C.), in Chinese, the indicator 公元前 is placed before the number, such as in 公元前200年 (200 B.C.).
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 公元 (gōngyuán), meaning 'common era' and 前 (qián), meaning 'before'.
How do you pronounce it?
gōngyuánqián
Did you know?
- Chinese history uses a 'regnal' system where a new calendar starts with every new emperor. This means a person in ancient China would have described a date by the emperor's era name rather than a number like 公元前.
- The character 前 used in 公元前 is the same character used to indicate 'front' or 'ahead' in spatial directions, such as in 'the front of a building'.
- If you want to be more religiously specific rather than using the standard secular 'common era', you can use the phrase 基督以前. This shifts the focus directly to 'before Christ' rather than the general calendar era.
Examples in context
- 公元前两千年Two thousand years B.C.
- 西元前三千年Three thousand years B.C.
- 他是公元前五世纪的人。Tā shì gōngyuánqián wǔ shìjì de rén.He lived in the 5th century B.C.
- 这个文明始于公元前三千年。Zhège wénmíng shǐ yú gōngyuánqián sān qiān nián.This civilization began in 3000 B.C.
- 公元前一百年左右发生了战争。Gōngyuánqián yī bǎi nián zuǒyòu fāshēngle zhànzhēng.A war occurred around 100 B.C.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a history project in the library.
- 佳怡 Jiayi俊杰，你知道这个古城建在什么时候吗？Jùnjié, nǐ zhīdào zhège gǔchéng jiàn zài shénme shíhòu ma?Junjie, do you know when this ancient city was built?
- 俊杰 Junjie应该是公元前八世纪。Yīnggāi shì gōngyuánqián bā shìjì.It should be the 8th century B.C.
- 佳怡 Jiayi哇，真的非常古老。Wa, zhēnde fēicháng gǔlǎo.Wow, it's really ancient.
- 俊杰 Junjie没错，那是公元前很早的时期。Méicuò, nà shì gōngyuánqián hěn zǎo de shíqī.Exactly, that was a very early period B.C.
