Chinese–EnglishWith examples

前来

qián lái · qian lai

Traditional 前來

HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to come (formal)
  2. before
  3. previously
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In a conversation

0:25 cartoon

Welcome to come… formally

  1. Dengdeng

    琦琦(qíqí)，这张(zhèzhāng)卡片(kǎpiàn)上(shàng)写(xiě)着(zhe)“欢迎(huānyíng)前来(qiánlái)”。“前来(qiánlái)”是(shì)什么(shénme)意思(yìsi)？

    Qiqi, this card says 欢迎前来. What does 前来 mean?

  2. Qiqi

    就是(jiùshì)“来(lái)”，不过(bùguò)更(gèng)正式(zhèngshì)。

    It just means 来 (come), but more formal.

  3. Dengdeng

    那(nà)我(wǒ)可以(kěyǐ)说(shuō)“欢迎(huānyíng)前来(qiánlái)我家(wǒjiā)吃饭(chīfàn)”吗(ma)？

    Then can I say 欢迎前来我家吃饭 (you are welcome to come to my home for dinner)?

  4. Qiqi

    可以(kěyǐ)，不过(bùguò)听起来(tīngqǐlai)像(xiàng)开会(kāihuì)。

    You can, but it sounds like a meeting.

  5. Dengdeng

    好(hǎo)。那(nà)……欢迎(huānyíng)琦琦(qíqí)女士(nǚshì)前来(qiánlái)喝茶(hēchá)！

    Okay. Then… Ms. Qiqi, you are welcome to come for tea!

  6. Qiqi

    哈哈(hāhā)，谢谢(xièxie)灯灯(dēngdēng)先生(xiānsheng)！

    Haha, thank you, Mr. Dengdeng!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

她(tā)很(hěn)乐(lè)意(yì)前(qián)来(lái)，但(dàn)是(shì)她(tā)在(zài)休(xiū)假(jià)。

She would willingly come but she was on vacation.

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

02

很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)前(qián)来(lái)参(cān)加(jiā)他(tā)的(de)演(yǎn)唱(chàng)会(huì)。

Many people attended his concert.

Tatoeba: Chinese by RickShaw · English by sharris123 · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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

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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