The Chinese term 前天 (qiántiān) is an essential piece of vocabulary that many learners encounter as they delve into the Mandarin language. This article aims to clarify its meaning, dissect its grammatical structure, and provide example sentences for practical application in conversation.
What Does 前天 (qiántiān) Mean?
前天 translates to “the day before yesterday” in English. It refers specifically to the two days prior from the current day. Understanding this term is crucial for accurate references to time in both spoken and written Chinese.
Grammatical Structure of 前天 (qiántiān)
To comprehend the grammatical makeup of 前天, we break it down:
Understanding the Components
- 前 (qián): This character means “before” or “in front of”.
- 天 (tiān): This character translates to “day” or “sky”.
Together, these characters embody the concept of “the day before” when combined, creating a straightforward reference to a past time marker.
Sentence Structure
In Chinese, the structure often follows a subject-verb-object format. When using 前天, it can follow various subjects and verbs based on the context. For example:
- Subject: 我 (wǒ) – “I”
- Verb: 见 (jiàn) – “saw”
- 前天: 前天 (qiántiān)
Thus, the sentence “I saw [something] the day before yesterday” would follow this structure.
Example Sentences Using 前天 (qiántiān)
Practical Usage
To help solidify your understanding of 前天, here are several example sentences:
- 我前天去了商店。
(Wǒ qiántiān qùle shāngdiàn.)
“I went to the store the day before yesterday.” - 前天我看到了一场电影。
(Qiántiān wǒ kàn dào le yī chǎng diànyǐng.)
“I watched a movie the day before yesterday.” - 她前天生病了。
(Tā qiántiān shēngbìng le.)
“She got sick the day before yesterday.” - 我们前天讨论了这个问题。
(Wǒmen qiántiān tǎolùn le zhège wèntí.)
“We discussed this issue the day before yesterday.” - 你前天在做什么?
(Nǐ qiántiān zài zuò shénme?)
“What were you doing the day before yesterday?”
Conclusion
Mastering terms like 前天 (qiántiān) enhances your conversational skills in Chinese and improves your ability to navigate social interactions and narrative storytelling. Its straightforward structure and practical usage make it a great example for language learners to integrate into their everyday conversations.
As you continue your language learning journey, consider expanding your vocabulary with related time expressions such as 昨天 (zuótiān) (yesterday) and 今天 (jīntiān) (today) to enrich your dialogue further.

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