The word "之前" is formed by combining the ancient possessive and connective particle "之" (which functions similarly to "'s" or "of" in English, linking concepts) with the character "前", which means "front" or "before" in a spatial or temporal sense. Together, they create a single conceptual unit where "之" links a reference point to the idea of "前", effectively forming a relational term that means "before [a certain point]" or "prior to".