HSK Level 3

眼前

yǎn qián

now; at the moment; before one’s eyes

Mobile & Tablet App

Master with Writing Practice

Practice writing with stroke order guidance, audio pronunciation, and interactive exercises in our mobile app.

Step-by-step stroke order animations

Native speaker audio pronunciation

Interactive writing recognition

Practice Now
Character writing practice in mobile app

Example Sentences

眼前一黑

yǎnqián yī hēi

to black out

眼前一亮

yǎnqián yī liàng

to be amazed

眼前有一只猫

yǎn qián yǒu yī zhī māo

There's a cat in front of me.

Synonyms

Antonyms

身后 (shēn hòu)

behind

将来 (jiāng lái)

future

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 眼前 (yǎnqián) is composed of two characters: 眼 (yǎn), meaning "eye", and 前 (qián), meaning "front" or "before". Together, they literally mean "in front of the eyes" or "before the eyes".The word 眼前 is often used to refer to something that is happening or is about to happen right in front of one's eyes. It can also be used to refer to something that is very obvious or apparent. For example, if someone says 眼前一亮 (yǎnqián yī liàng), it means that they have suddenly seen something that is very beautiful or impressive.The word 眼前 can also be used in a more figurative sense to refer to something that is imminent or about to happen. For example, if someone says 眼前一片光明 (yǎnqián yī piàn guāngmíng), it means that they see a bright future ahead of them.Overall, the word 眼前 is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of contexts to refer to something that is happening or is about to happen right in front of one's eyes, something that is very obvious or apparent, or something that is imminent or about to happen.