かつてここは海だった。
This place was once a sea.
彼はかつて有名な歌手だった。
He was once a famous singer.
adverb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
never yet; never before; first time
Used with a negative verb to express that something has never happened before; emphasizes the absence of prior experience.
こんなに美しい景色はかつて見たことがない。
I have never seen such a beautiful view before.
彼はかつて嘘をついたことがない。
He has never told a lie.
There used to be a big factory in this place.
An incident like this has never happened before.
He is a former colleague of mine.
昔 refers broadly to 'the old days' or a distant past era, whereas かつて is used more narrowly to mark a specific past state or experience that has since changed.
一頃 is conversational and highlights a past period that contrasts with the present, while かつて is more formal or literary and often used for historical facts.
Rare kanji form; learners will almost always encounter the kana spelling.
Rare kanji form.
Rare kanji form.