Chinese–EnglishWith examples

从前

cóng qián · cong qian

Traditional 從前

HSK 3Old HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. previously
  2. formerly
  3. once upon a time
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In a conversation

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Once upon a time

  1. Qiqi

    从前(cóngqián)，山(shān)里(lǐ)有(yǒu)一只(yīzhī)小(xiǎo)猴子(hóuzi)。

    Once upon a time, there was a little monkey in the mountains.

  2. Liangliang

    它(tā)叫(jiào)什么(shénme)名字(míngzi)？

    What was its name?

  3. Qiqi

    它(tā)叫(jiào)灯灯(dēngdēng)，从前(cóngqián)它(tā)很(hěn)懒(lǎn)。

    It was called Dengdeng. In the past, it was very lazy.

  4. Dengdeng

    为什么(wèishénme)是(shì)我(wǒ)？

    Why is it me?

  5. Qiqi

    因为(yīnwèi)现在(xiànzài)它(tā)还(hái)很(hěn)懒(lǎn)。

    Because it is still very lazy now.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

从(cóng)前(qián)有(yǒu)个(gè)侏(zhū)儒(rú)住(zhù)在(zài)森(sēn)林(lín)里(lǐ)。

Once upon a time there was a dwarf that lived in the forest.

Tatoeba: Chinese by egg0073 · English by kate15 · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)无(wú)意(yì)间(jiān)找(zhǎo)到(dào)从(cóng)前(qián)弄(nòng)丢(diū)的(de)相(xiàng)机(jī)。

I happened to find the camera I'd lost.

Tatoeba: Chinese by egg0073 · English by sundown · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
从
cóng

from; through; via; (bound form) to follow

前
qián

front; forward

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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