Writing
从前 (cóng qián) — how to say "in the past" in Chinese
从前
In the past, formerly
noun
Character composition
从
from
前
front
Radicals / Keys
人
Man
#9 · rén · 2 strokes
刀
Knife
#18 · dāo · 2 strokes
Synonyms
Collocations
从前的事
cóng qián de shì
past events
Examples
奶奶经常给我们讲从前的故事，那时候的生活和现在很不一样。
Grandma often tells us stories from the past, when life was very different from now.
从前有座山。
Once upon a time there was a mountain.
Frequently asked questions
Chinese word for past
"in the past" in Chinese is 从前 (cóng qián).
从前 meaning in English
从前 (cóng qián) means "In the past, formerly".
How is 从前 pronounced?
It is pronounced cóng qián (written as cong qian, congqian). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "in the past" in Chinese characters?
It is written 从前: 从 has 4 strokes, 前 has 9 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 从前?
从前 belongs to the HSK 5 vocabulary list.
Tomyo
Learn Chinese words with spaced repetition
Add 从前 to your vocabulary and remember it with smart reviews, audio and examples.