从前

從前

cóngqián

noun HSK 3 #4,659

Meanings

1 formerly
2 once upon a time
3 in the past

Characters

Examples

从前有一个国王。

Cóngqián yǒu yī gè guówáng.

Once upon a time, there was a king.

这里跟从前不一样了。

Zhèlǐ gēn cóngqián bù yīyàng le.

This place is different from before.

从前的事就不要再提了。

Cóngqián de shì jiù bùyào zài tí le.

Don't bring up things from the past anymore.

Tips

usage

从前 at the beginning of a sentence means 'once upon a time' and is the standard opening for Chinese fairy tales and folk stories, like English 'once upon a time'.

Stroke Order

从 cóng

前 qián