日前
rì qián · HSK 7
a few days ago
📅 日 = day/sun + 前 = before; 'days before' now = the other day
日 means day and 前 means before or ago. Put them together as day-before to land on the meaning a few days ago. Same 前 as 以前 (previously) and 前天 (the day before yesterday).
日 — pictograph of the sun
日 is a pictograph of the sun, originally drawn as a circle with a dot or stroke inside representing the sun's substance. Over time the round shape was squared off into the modern rectangular form. It means 'sun' and by extension 'day'.
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.