前 — JLPT N5 Kanji

前 (zen/mae): before. JLPT N5 kanji.

Character Info

Kanji Strokes JLPT Radical Radical Meaning
9 N5 knife

Readings

Type Reading Romaji Notes
On (音) ゼン zen Chinese-origin (音読み)
Kun (訓) まえ mae before; front; ago

Meanings

  1. before
  2. front
  3. previous
  4. ago

Vocabulary

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
まえ mae before / in front N5
午前 ごぜん gozen AM / before noon N5
名前 なまえ namae name N5
駅前 えきまえ ekimae in front of the station N5
以前 いぜん izen previously / before N4

Stroke Order

Top: 羊-like component (first 6 strokes). Bottom: 刀 (knife) component (strokes 7-9).

Mnemonic

A knife (刀) used before something — preparing in advance.

Common Mistakes

前 (before/front) vs 後 (behind/after) — remember: 前 is the direction you face (forward).