前天
qián tiān · HSK 1
the day before yesterday
📅 前天 = front/before (前) + day (天) — the day in front of yesterday
前 means 'before/front' and 天 means 'day', so 前天 literally reads as 'the day before' — two days back from today. Compare with 昨天 (yesterday) and 明天 (tomorrow).
前 — top 丷 + 一 + 月 (moon) + 刂 (knife)
Originally written 歬, depicting a foot 止 above a boat 舟, meaning to advance or go forward. Over time the form evolved and the knife radical 刂 was added, while 止 and 舟 fused into the modern shape. The core meaning 'front, before, ahead' has stayed consistent.
天 — 一 (one/sky) above 大 (big person)
Originally a pictograph of a person (大) with an emphasized head, representing what is above — the sky or heavens. The top stroke evolved into 一, symbolizing the vast expanse overhead. From 'sky' it extended to mean 'day,' 'heaven,' and 'nature.'