JLPT N3 · Noun / adverb

以前 (izen)

以前 (いぜん, izen) is a Japanese noun / adverb meaning “before; prior to”. It appears in JLPT N3 vocabulary lists and is marked as a common word in JMdict.

Reading: いぜん
Romaji: izen
Word class: Noun / adverb
Level: JLPT N3 (unofficial)

Meaning

before; prior to; ago · suffix noun
the past; before; previously; former times · noun, adverb

Example sentences

最善を尽くしますが、よくいっても木曜以前に終える事は出来ません。

I'll do my best, but I'll not be able to finish it before Thursday at best.

Tatoeba #170398

以前はこの丘の上に城があった。

There used to be a castle on this hill.

Tatoeba #191182

Sentences from the Tatoeba project, linked to this word in JMdict.

Kanji in 以前

以

by means of, because, in view ofイ・もっ.て · 5 strokes

前

in front, beforeゼン・まえ・-まえ · 9 strokes

Related words

Other vocabulary sharing a kanji with 以前.

以下いかnot exceeding ...以内いないwithin以外いがいexcluding以上いじょうnot less than ...以来いらいsince以後いごafter this以降いこうon and after前まえin front (of)午前ごぜんmorning名前なまえnameお前おまえyou前者ぜんしゃthe former前進ぜんしんadvance当たり前あたりまえnatural

Source: JMdict entry 1155150 (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0). Level: unofficial JLPT list – how levels are assigned.