Usage note
此前表示在这之前。
cǐ qián biǎo shì zài zhè zhī qián。
此前 means before this time.
Context note
此前常用于新闻、回顾和说明。
cǐ qián cháng yòng yú xīn wén 、 huí gù hé shuō míng。
It is often used in news, reviews, and explanation.
5 examples
此前他没来过。
cǐ qián tā méi lái guò。
He had not been here before.
此前的计划已经变了。
cǐ qián de jì huà yǐ jīng biàn le。
The plan before this has changed.
此前大家都不知道。
cǐ qián dà jiā dōu bù zhī dào。
Before this, everyone did not know.
此前发生过类似的事。
cǐ qián fā shēng guò lèi shì de shì。
Something similar happened before this.
此前我们已经讨论过。
cǐ qián wǒ men yǐ jīng tǎo lùn guò。
We had discussed it before this.
5 mini stories
此前的经验帮助了他。
cǐ qián de jīng yàn bāng zhù le tā。
The experience before this helped him.
此前这条路很安静。
cǐ qián zhè tiáo lù hěn ān jìng。
Before this, this road was very quiet.
她此前没有参加过比赛。
tā cǐ qián méi yǒu cān jiā guò bǐ sài。
She had not taken part in a competition before this.
此前的结果并不理想。
cǐ qián de jié guǒ bìng bù lǐ xiǎng。
The results before this were not ideal.
此前的误会现在已经解开。
cǐ qián de wù huì xiàn zài yǐ jīng jiě kāi。
The misunderstanding from before has now been cleared up.
Mini dialogue
回忆假期
A
此前你去过北京吗？
Cǐqián nǐ qù guò Běijīng ma?
Have you been to Beijing previously?
B
去过，此前我和家人一起去的。
Qù guò, cǐqián wǒ hé jiārén yīqǐ qù de.
Yes, I went there previously with my family.
新同学
A
你认识那个新同学吗？
Nǐ rènshi nàge xīn tóngxué ma?
Do you know that new classmate?
B
认识，此前我们是一个学校的。
Rènshi, cǐqián wǒmen shì yīgè xuéxiào de.
Yes, previously we were at the same school.
Related words and contrasts
similar
以前
yǐqián
before; previously
General term for a time before now.
similar
刚才
gāngcái
just now
Refers to a very recent past.
opposite
此后
cǐhòu
after this
Refers to a time after a reference point.