前ぜん世せい紀き

noun

last century; previous century

Refers to the century immediately before the current one, or a past century in a sequence. Common in historical and news contexts.

• 前ぜん世せい紀きの終おわりに、インターネットが急きゅう速そくに普ふ及きゅうした。

  At the end of the last century, the internet spread rapidly.

• この建たて物ものは前ぜん世せい紀きの初はじめに建たてられた。

  This building was built at the beginning of the previous century.

noun

ancient times; old times

Used loosely or figuratively to refer to a bygone era, often with a nuance of being outdated or old-fashioned. Less common than the literal 'last century' sense.

• その考かんがえ方かたはまるで前ぜん世せい紀きの遺い物ぶつだ。

  That way of thinking is like a relic of a bygone era.