in front, before
前 centers on spatial or temporal priority: being in front or before something else. The two senses are natural extensions of the same idea of precedence.
前 is thought to combine 䒑 (a stylized form related to a foot or step) with 刂 (a knife or cutting tool), possibly suggesting cutting a path forward or advancing. The exact historical development is uncertain.
The top 䒑 looks like a pair of horns or a leading edge, and the bottom 刂 resembles a knife cutting a path. Imagine a pioneer cutting through brush to move in front of the group.
For ゼン, picture a Zen master sitting in front of you, guiding you before you begin meditation: Zen -> ゼン.
in front (of); before (e.g. a building)
last (i.e. immediately preceding); previous; ex-; former
you
name
before; prior to; ago
prior; beforehand; in advance; before the fact; ex ante
previous time; last time; previous installment; previous instalment; previous session
natural; reasonable; obvious
front and rear; front and back; before and behind; back and forth
morning; a.m.
first half
condition; assumption; prerequisite; hypothesis
just before; just prior to
previous day; day before; eve; prior day; preceding day
in front of a station
pre-war days; before the war
before oneself; in front of one; nearby
the preceding year; the previous year; last year
just before; on the verge of; on the brink of
presence of other people; (in) public; (in) front of others
portion of food
front-facing
the former; the first
advance; moving forward; progress
ahead; forward; (in) front
first term; first half-year; preceding period; early period
front part; frontage; facade
(weather) front
forelock; bangs
front line; forefront
while alive; during one's lifetime
before one's very eyes; under one's nose; imminence; close at hand
precedent
last night; the previous night
ability; skill; facility
paying one's own expenses
advance guard; vanguard
unheard-of; unprecedented; unparalleled in history (unparallelled); record-breaking
in advance; beforehand; previously; ahead of time
pre-era; BC; BCE
handsome man; man's looks; good looks
preceding fiscal year
antecedents; ancestor; previous position; previous existence; predecessor organization; predecessor organisation
home delivery (of food); outside catering
moving forward (e.g. plans); acceleration (e.g. of payment schedule); front-loading
face; official stance; public position or attitude (as opposed to private thoughts)
omen; portent; sign; presage; harbinger; premonition; precursor; foreboding; presentiment
payment in advance; advance payment; prepayment
event held the night before another event; eve (of a festival) (e.g. Christmas Eve)
preface; introduction; preamble
important condition; basic premise; basic assumption
unprecedented; record-breaking
morning; forenoon
aforesaid; above-mentioned; said; above
advance sale; booking
before the gate; in front of the gate
advance warning; previous notice; prior announcement
natural; inborn; innate; inherent; characteristic
future; prospects; outlook
generosity
rank-and-file wrestlers in the highest division
the above sentence; the foregoing remark
front part; fore; front
last week; the week before
dispensing with the preliminaries ...
turning someone away (at the front door); refusing a visitor; shutting the door in someone's face; refusal of admission
share; portion; quota; cut
front garden; front yard
personal history
getting an advance (on one's salary)
front of center field; front of centre field
preface; foreword; preamble
name
the other day; previously; before; earlier; recently
one portion; one serving; one person
for two people; (work) of two; (meals) for two
a long time ago; long before now
first half of a game; first half of a match
(preliminary) skirmish
ticket sold in advance; advance ticket
in the morning; during the morning
wearing a kimono with the right side over the left (normally used only for the dead)
a few years ago; some years back
front row
before one's eyes; in front of one; under one's nose