前 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
前 covers two closely linked ideas: "front" in space and "before" in time. In space it means the area in front of something — 駅前 ("in front of the station"), or simply 前 ("the front / ahead"). In time it means earlier or previous — 以前 ("before, previously"), 前回 ("last time"). The link is easy to feel in English too: what is in front of you is also what comes before. Whenever you meet 前 in a new word, ask "is this about position or about earlier time?" — it's almost always one of the two.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | まえ | 前 (front, before), 名前 (name), 駅前 (in front of the station) |
| on'yomi | ゼン | 午前 (morning, AM), 以前 (previously), 前回 (last time) |
Here's the usual rule of thumb: the kun'yomi (まえ) shows up when 前 stands more or less alone — 前 by itself, or in everyday words like 名前 and 駅前 — while the on'yomi (ゼン) appears inside two-kanji compounds like 午前 and 以前. Spotting that split early will help you guess readings for words you haven't studied yet.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 9, written top to bottom. Start with the two small strokes on top, work through the middle, and finish with the knife radical on the lower right.
- Radical: the radical is 刂 (knife), the standing form of 刀 ("sword / knife") that you'll find on the right side of many kanji. Here it sits at the bottom-right of 前. Once you can pick out 刂, you'll recognize it in plenty of other characters too.
Learning to spot the parts of 前 makes the whole shape much easier to remember and to write at the right size.
Common words using 前
Notice the reading split in action: standalone 前 and the everyday words 名前 and 駅前 all take まえ, while the compounds 午前, 前回, and 以前 flip to ゼン. That's the rule of thumb above, working exactly as advertised.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは駅前のカフェで待っています。
ヤッタンは えきまえの カフェで まっています。
Yattan is waiting at the cafe in front of the station.
駅前 — the kun'yomi まえ reading (position: 'in front of').
モチは午前九時に学校へ行きます。
モチは ごぜん くじに がっこうへ いきます。
Mochi goes to school at nine in the morning.
午前 — the on'yomi ゼン reading (time: 'AM'). Contrast 午後 (ごご) for 'PM'.
先生は「名前を書く前に、よく読んでください」と言いました。
せんせいは「なまえを かく まえに、よく よんでください」と いいました。
Sensei said, Please read it carefully before writing your name.
Two まえ uses in one line: 名前 (なまえ, 'name') and 書く前 (かく まえ, 'before writing').
Quick recap
- 前 = front / before; 9 strokes; the radical is 刂 (knife).
- まえ when it stands alone or in everyday words (前, 名前, 駅前); ゼン in compounds (午前, 以前, 前回).
- Watch the time pair: 午前 (ごぜん, AM) vs 午後 (ごご, PM).
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 前 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 前 in 名前 vs 午前?
In 名前 it's the kun'yomi まえ (名前 = なまえ, 'name'). In 午前 it's the on'yomi ゼン (午前 = ごぜん, 'morning / AM'). As a rule, two-kanji compounds tend to take the on'yomi ゼン.
How many strokes does 前 have?
前 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 刂 (the 'knife' radical), which sits at the lower-right of the character.
Does 前 mean place or time?
Both. It means 'front' in space (駅前 = 'in front of the station') and 'before / earlier' in time (以前 = 'previously'). The English link 'in front of' / 'before' captures both senses.
What's the difference between 午前 and 午後?
午前 (ごぜん) means 'AM / morning' and 午後 (ごご) means 'PM / afternoon.' They're a natural pair to learn together, since 前 = 'before (noon)' and 後 = 'after (noon).'