前期 qiánqī preceding period
preceding period; early stage
How to remember 前期: 前 in front + 期 a period of time = preceding period.
Characters
How it is used
- The early/preceding stage of a process - 前期准备 (qiánqī zhǔnbèi) preliminary preparation, 项目前期 (xiàngmù qiánqī) the early phase of a project.
- Contrasts with 后期 (hòuqī, later stage/post-production); the pair splits a timeline in two.
- Common in project management and film (前期 pre-production vs 后期 post-production).