前 vs. 手前: Are You Still Getting Confused?
What is the difference between “前 and 手前“? Are these “手前に動かす” and “前に動かす” the same meaning? After reading this, you would be answering this question. Let me introduce what their subtle differences are and how you correctly use them such as native speakers today!
前 (mae)
in front of/Before/Ago/Forward / 前面 / 전 / trước
“前” means “in front of” and which has been used as the meaning of “close to the front part of something or someone”. The basic way to use it is “___の前(in front of ___)”, “___を前に動かす(Move ___ forward)”. For instance, “ビルの前(in front of the building)”, “家の前(in front of the house), “机を前に動かす(Move the desk forward)”, etc. And “前” means “Before / Ago” which has been used as the meaning of “back in time from the present”. The basic way to use it is “___前“. For instance, “2カ月前(two months ago)”, “1年前(one year ago)”, etc. The tip for using it is that “前” means “front/forward” and its antonym is “後ろ(back/rear)”.



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手前 (temae)
Toward you/in front of/Right before / 面前 / 앞으로 / phía trước mặt
“手前” means “Toward you or Right before” and which has been also used as the meaning of “close to the front part of something or someone”. The basic way to use it is “___の手前(in front of/ just before ___)”, “___を手前に動かす(Move ___ toward you)”. For instance, “コンビニはビルの手前にある(in front of the building)”, “家の前(The convenience store is somewhere between that building and us), “机を前に動かす(Move the desk toward you)”, etc. The tips for using “手前” is that means relatively nearer position “FROM the OBSERVER” (basically the speaker), and its antonym is “奥“(further position, deep part, interior). Or it also means “Right before”.




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