紀元前(きげんぜん)

きげんぜん
noun
B.C., before the Common Era
academictime-period
See also: 紀元(きげん) (era, A.D.)
1. B.C., before the Common Era, BCE
The period before the year 1 in the Western calendar system. Used with year numbers to indicate dates before the Common Era.
紀元前(きげんぜん)3世紀(せいき)の遺跡(いせき)だ。
These are ruins from the 3rd century B.C.
エジプトの大(だい)ピラミッドは紀元前(きげんぜん)2500年(ねん)ごろに建(た)てられた。
The Great Pyramid of Egypt was built around 2500 B.C.
紀元前(きげんぜん)5世紀(せいき)のアテネでは、民主(みんしゅ)政治(せいじ)が発展(はってん)していた。
In 5th century B.C. Athens, democracy was flourishing.

Usage

Always placed before the year number: 紀元前(きげんぜん)○○年(ねん). This is the opposite of English word order ("500 B.C." → 紀元前(きげんぜん)500年(ねん)). Abbreviated as B.C. in English or sometimes written as 前(ぜん)○○年(ねん) in shorthand.

Forms

紀元(きげん) (era/epoch) + 前(ぜん) (before) — literally "before the era."

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.27 14:08 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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