前后
qiánhòu
around, from start to finish
Part of speech · noun
Pattern visualization
前front
Show part origins
後back
Show part origins
Show stroke order animation
9 strokes · 6.2s
9 strokes · 6.2s
Examples
- 春节前后是最忙的时候。Around the Spring Festival is the busiest time.
- 这件事前后花了三年。This matter took three years from start to finish.
Collocations
春节前后前后矛盾前后一致前后三年
Mnemonic
前 qián "front, before" + 后 hòu "back, after": before and after, front and back. After a time point it means "around" (春节前后, around Spring Festival); of a span, "from start to finish" (前后三年, three years all told). 前后矛盾 = inconsistent. Compare 左右, 上下 ("about").
Related
左右上下前面后面
Quick check
What does 前后 mean in 春节前后?