事前
Meaning in Englishprior, beforehand, in advance
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
It means being done before a specified moment or event; 事前 describes actions, preparations, or notices that take place in advance, typically used with 事前に or 事前の to modify verbs or nouns and convey forethought or precaution in formal or written contexts.
Main meanings
- indicates actions done in advance, often with 事前に to modify a verb
- forms compound phrases such as 事前準備 or 事前の計画 to refer to pre-planning
- used in formal or administrative language to emphasize forewarning or preemptive steps
How to use it
Used in formal, written, and business contexts. Typically realized as 事前に + verb to indicate doing something beforehand, or 事前の + noun to describe an antecedent condition; common collocations include 事前準備, 事前通知, and 事前の承認.
Variants and close terms
- あらかじめ — arakajime (beforehand)
- 前もって — maemotte (in advance)
- 先に — saki ni (earlier, ahead of time)
Composition
- 事 = matter, thing; an issue or topic under discussion
- 前 = before, in front; indicates precedence in time
- Combined meaning: before the matter occurs; preparation or notice conducted in advance
Etymology
Phonetic evolution: The reading jizen comes from the on'yomi of 事 (ji) and 前 (zen); the compound's pronunciation is a straightforward concatenation of the two on'yomi readings, not a separate etymological derivation.
Origin
In classical and early modern Japanese, 事前 appeared in administrative and scholarly texts to express actions or preparations conducted before a stated matter. Its use expanded through the Edo period and into modern Japanese, aligning with bureaucratic and formal communication conventions.
Word class
Noun (na-adjective usage)