先前

xiānqián

noun HSK 5 #7,174

Meanings

HSK 1

这和他先前说的不一样。

Zhè hé tā xiānqián shuō de bùyīyàng.

This is different from what he said earlier.

HSK 3

和先前相比，他变了很多。

Hé xiānqián xiāngbǐ, tā biàn le hěnduō.

Compared to before, he has changed a lot.

HSK 7-9

先前我不知道这件事。

Xiānqián wǒ bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.

Previously I didn't know about this.

usage

先前 is slightly more formal than 以前 (yǐqián) and 之前 (zhīqián). All three mean 'before,' but 先前 emphasizes a specific earlier time.

先 xiān

前 qián