之前

zhīqián
  1. before
  2. prior to
  3. ago
  4. previously
  5. beforehand

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 之 zhī
  1. (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的 de)
  2. him
  3. her
  4. it
2 前 qián
  1. front
  2. forward
  3. ahead
  4. first
  5. top (followed by a number)
  6. future
  7. ago
  8. before
  9. BC (e.g. 前293年)
  10. former
  11. formerly