前身(ぜんしん)

ぜんしん
noun
predecessor, precursor, former form
See also: 全身(ぜんしん) (whole body)
1. predecessor, precursor, former form
The earlier version or form that something evolved from. Used for organizations, institutions, products, or concepts that were later reorganized, renamed, or transformed into their current form.
この会社(かいしゃ)の前身(ぜんしん)は小(ちい)さな工場(こうじょう)だった。
The predecessor of this company was a small factory.
大学(だいがく)の前身(ぜんしん)は明治(めいじ)時代(じだい)の私塾(しじゅく)だ。
The university's predecessor was a private school in the Meiji era.
この制度(せいど)の前身(ぜんしん)となった仕組(しく)みについて調(しら)べている。
I'm researching the system that served as the precursor to this program.

前身(ぜんしん) describes the earlier form or incarnation of something — "what it used to be." Used for organizations, companies, institutions, and products that were later renamed or reorganized.

Common patterns

  • ～の前身(ぜんしん): the predecessor of ~
  • 前身(ぜんしん)は～だ: its predecessor was ~
  • 前身(ぜんしん)となる: to serve as the precursor
  • ～を前身(ぜんしん)とする: to have ~ as its predecessor

Example

東京大学(とうきょうだいがく)の前身(ぜんしん)は開成(かいせい)学校(がっこう)だ (The predecessor of Tokyo University was Kaisei School).

Important distinction

Not used for people in roles. For a person who held a position previously, use 前任者(ぜんにんしゃ) (predecessor in a role).

Etymology

前(ぜん) (before/former) + 身(しん) (body/form)

general
Added 2026.2.18 23:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
11500/11910_zenshin