前言

qiányán

noun #35,649

Meanings

1 preface; foreword; introduction (of a book or document)
2 earlier remarks; words said earlier

Characters

Examples

请先读一下书的前言。

Qǐng xiān dú yíxià shū de qiányán.

Please read the book's preface first.

他这是前言不搭后语。

Tā zhè shì qiányán bù dā hòu yǔ.

What he's saying - his earlier and later words don't match up.

Tips

usage

Two distinct uses: (1) book preface - same slot as 序言; 前言 sounds slightly more functional, 序言 more literary. (2) Set phrase 前言不搭后语 - 'incoherent, contradicting oneself', literally 'earlier words don't match later words'.

Stroke Order

前 qián

言 yán