前后

前後

qiánhòu

noun HSK 3 #9,493

Meanings

HSK 2

前后一共花了三个小时。

Qiánhòu yīgòng huā le sān gè xiǎoshí.

It took about three hours altogether.

HSK 2

春节前后很多人回家。

Chūnjié qiánhòu hěnduō rén huíjiā.

Many people go home around the Spring Festival.

HSK 5

这件事情前后矛盾。

Zhè jiàn shìqing qiánhòu máodùn.

This matter is contradictory from beginning to end.

grammar

前后 can mean 'approximately' with time (三点前后 = around 3 o'clock) or 'from start to finish' (前后三年 = over a period of three years).

前 qián

后 hòu