前もって
まえもって · maemotte · JLPT N3 · adverb
in advance
📅 前 mae = before + もって motte = holding: holding it before = in advance
もって comes from 以て, by means of. So 前もって means by acting before. As a sound hook, maemotte sounds like my motto, and the motto is: get it done beforehand.
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.