| 前 | qián | front; forward; ahead; ago; before; first; former; formerly; future; BC (e.g. 前293年) |
| 目前 | mù qián | at the present time; currently |
| 以前 | yǐ qián | before; formerly; previous; ago |
| 前面 | qián miàn | ahead; in front; preceding; above |
| 前进 | qián jìn | to go forward; to forge ahead; to advance; onward |
| 面前 | miàn qián | in front of; facing; presence |
| 当前 | dāng qián | current; today's; modern; present; to be facing (us) |
| 之前 | zhī qián | before; prior to; ago; previously; beforehand |
| 前后 | qián hòu | around; from beginning to end; all around; front and rear |
| 从前 | cóng qián | previously; formerly; once upon a time |
| 前提 | qián tí | premise; precondition; prerequisite |
| 前者 | qián zhě | the former |
| 提前 | tí qián | to shift to an earlier date; to bring forward; to advance |
| 前途 | qián tú | prospects; future outlook; journey |
| 前往 | qián wǎng | to leave for; to proceed towards; to go |
| 眼前 | yǎn qián | before one's eyes; now; at present |
| 前年 | qián nián | the year before last |
| 前方 | qián fāng | ahead; the front |
| 空前 | kōng qián | unprecedented |
| 前来 | qián lái | to come (formal); before; previously |
| 前线 | qián xiàn | front line; military front; workface; cutting edge |
| 上前 | shàng qián | to go forward; front upper |
| 跟前 | gēn qián | in front of; close to; nearby; the time just before |
| 跟前 | gēn qian | living with sb; nearby |
| 前夕 | qián xī | eve; the day before |
| 前期 | qián qī | preceding period; early stage |
| 前人 | qián rén | predecessor; forebears; the person facing you |
| 前景 | qián jǐng | foreground; vista; (future) prospects; perspective |
| 前边 | qián bian | front; the front side; in front of |
| 前辈 | qián bèi | senior; older generation; precursor |
| 生前 | shēng qián | (of a deceased) during one's life; while living |
| 前卫 | qián wèi | advanced guard; vanguard; avant-garde; forward (soccer position) |
| 先前 | xiān qián | before; previously |
| 前天 | qián tiān | the day before yesterday |
| 前列 | qián liè | the very front |
| 事前 | shì qián | in advance; before the event |
| 前锋 | qián fēng | vanguard; front line; a forward (sports) |
| 日前 | rì qián | the other day; a few days ago |
| 前身 | qián shēn | forerunner; predecessor; precursor; previous incarnation (Buddhism); jacket front |
| 前头 | qián tou | in front; at the head; ahead; above |
| 前沿 | qián yán | front-line; forward position; outpost; extending ahead; frontier (of science, technology etc) |
| 前言 | qián yán | preface; forward; introduction |
| 前肢 | qián zhī | forelimb; foreleg |
| 前所未有 | qián suǒ wèi yǒu | unprecedented |
| 超前 | chāo qián | to be ahead of one's time; to surpass or outdo one's predecessors; to be ahead of the pack; to take the lead; advanced |
| 前程 | qián chéng | future (career etc) prospects |
| 前任 | qián rèn | predecessor; ex-; former |
| 前哨 | qián shào | outpost |
| 前秦 | Qián Qín | Former Qin of the Sixteen Kingdoms (351-395) |
| 前门 | qián mén | front door; main entrance; honest and upright approach (as opposed to 后门, back-door or under the counter); Qianmen subway station on Beijing Subway Line 2 |
