之前
zi1 cin4
In Cantonese, 'before' is expressed as 之前 (zi1 cin4).
之前 is used as a conjunction to mean in advance of a specific time or event. You can also use the particle 先 as a temporal marker to indicate that one action occurs before another action.
Meaning: in advance of the time when (conj)
What does it mean word for word?
之前 is composed of 之 (zi1), a formal particle used to link a modifier to a noun and 前 (cin4), which means 'front' or 'before'.
Which one should you use?
While 之前 refers to 'before' in a temporal sense, it is not used to mean 'in front of' in a physical spatial sense. For spatial positions, you would use 前面.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Guangzhou Dialect, the phrase 'Before the event starts' is expressed as 活動開始 之前.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike in English, where 'before' is placed before the action or time, in Cantonese, 之前 is placed after the action or time it refers to.
How do you pronounce it?
zi1 cin4
Did you know?
- While 之前 denotes time, the character 前 also appears in 前輩, which means 'senior' or 'predecessor' in a social or professional hierarchy.
- The character 之 in 之前 is a remnant of Classical Chinese and is rarely used as a standalone word in spoken Cantonese today.
- In some contexts, the particle 先 is used not just for time but to indicate a preference or a 'first' priority, such as saying 'let me eat first'.
Examples in context
- 上床之前閂門。Close the door before going to bed.This sentence shows how to use 之前 regarding a daily routine.Tatoeba #4826899 by kaenif, translation #931540 by CM
- 煮肉之前要解凍。Thaw out the meat before cooking it.This sentence demonstrates using 之前 to describe a prerequisite step in a process.Tatoeba #12276053 by thesilhouette, translation #8080492 by CK
- 六點之前好返屋企喇。Come home before six.This sentence illustrates using 之前 with a specific time.Tatoeba #5795805 by nickyeow, translation #72433 by CK
- 活動之前Before the event
- 我哋見面之前Before we met
- 食飯先出去Eat before going
- 我頭先見到佢I saw him earlier
- 上堂之前Before class starts
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two roommates are discussing their schedule for the afternoon.
- 美玲 Mei Ling你三點之前可以返嚟嗎？nei5 saam1 dim2 zi1 cin4 ho2 ji5 fan1 lei4 maa1?Can you come back before three?
- 志強 Chi Keung我會盡量喺三點之前返嚟。ngo5 wui5 zeon6 loeng6 hai2 saam1 dim2 zi1 cin4 fan1 lei4.I will try my best to be back before three.
- 美玲 Mei Ling好呀，我會等你。hou2 aa3, ngo5 wui5 dang2 nei5.Okay, I will wait for you.
- 志強 Chi Keung唔該，我即刻去喇。m4 goi1, ngo5 zik1 hak1 heoi3 laa3.Thanks, I'm leaving right now.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
