前|まえmae[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounin front (of); before (e.g. a building)
   我が家わがやの前まえには狭せまい庭にわがあります。↗

   There is a small garden in front of my house.
2. no-adjective, adverbbefore; earlier; previously; prior; ago; (minutes) to (the hour)
   部屋へやに入はいる前まえに靴くつを脱ぬぎなさい。↗

   Take your shoes off before you come into the room.

   父ちちは２年ねん前まえに亡なくなった。↗

   My father passed away two years ago.
3. no-adjective(the) front; frontal part; fore; head (e.g. of a line)
   私はバスの前まえの席せきに座すわった。↗

   I sat in the front of the bus.
4. nounforward; ahead
   まっすぐ前まえを見みてください。↗

   Look forward, please.
5. noun(in the) presence (of); in front (of someone)
   メアリーは他人たにんの前まえでからかわれることに慣なれていない。↗

   Mary is not used to being made fun of in the presence of others.
6. no-adjectiveprevious (e.g. page); prior (e.g. engagement); first (e.g. half); former (e.g. example)
   私達わたしたちの家いえの前まえの所有者しょゆうしゃはリバプールに引っ越ひっこした。↗

   The previous owners of our house moved to Liverpool.
7. suffixportion; helpingafter a noun or the -masu stem of a verb
8. nounfront (of one's body or clothing); breast (of a coat, kimono, etc.)
   上着うわぎの前まえが合あわなかった。↗

   On him the coat did not meet in the front.
9. nounprivates; private parts
   わぁあ〜〜っ！？隠かくしてっ！前まえ、隠かくしてよっ！↗

   M-my goodness!? Cover-up! Cover yourself up!
10. nouncriminal record; previous conviction; (a) prior

• Synonym正面しょうめんNeutralThe front that faces outward or the direction straight ahead, as in 「正面玄関」「正面から見る」; unlike 「前」, it never refers to time.
• Synonym前面ぜんめんNeutralThe front face or area of a thing; 「前面に出す」 means to put something forward. A bit more written than 「前」.
• Synonym前部ぜんぶWrittenWritten/formal term for the front section of an object itself, as in 「車両前部」; never for time.
• Related正面しょうめんNeutralThe front that faces outward or the direction straight ahead, as in 「正面玄関」「正面から見る」; unlike 「前」, it never refers to time.
• Related目の前めのまえNeutralRight before one's eyes or just about to happen, as in 「目の前に立つ」; closer and more pressing than 「前」.
• Related面前めんぜんWrittenWritten/formal prose for 'in the presence of', as in 「公衆の面前で」; the emphasis is on someone being present.
• Antonym後ろうしろNeutralThe neutral antonym of 「前」 in position: behind, at the back.
• Antonym後あとNeutralAs 「後」, the direction behind one, opposite to 「前」: 「前を向く」 vs 「後ろを向く」.
• Antonym尻しりCasualColloquial for the buttocks or the tail end — in sequence, the opposite of the front, as in 「列の尻」.
• Antonym後方しりえWrittenArchaic written word for the rear, opposite of 「前」; almost never used in modern Japanese.

Default to 「前」 for 'in front of' and for 'before' in time. Use 「正面」 for the front that faces you, 「目の前」 for what is right before your eyes, 「面前」 for doing something in someone's presence, and 「前部」 for the front part of an object. 「後ろ」/「後」 is the antonym for behind; 「尻」 is the colloquial tail end, and 「後方」 is archaic.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. （まえ）位置いちの呼称こしょう。目めの方向ほうこう。観測かんそく者しゃにとって、観測かんそくしている方向ほうこう。
2. （まえ、さき）時間じかんの呼称こしょう。ある時点じてんに対たいして、早はやい方向ほうこう、即すなわち過去かことなる時点じてん。