Just Before
Immediately Prior To
noun, adverb
Something happened directly before this. In other words, it happened just before this.
直前 is used to talk about something happening immediately prior to something else, like when your date cancels on you just before you were supposed to meet or your doctor tells you not to eat a snack right before bed.
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on'yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you'll know how to read this as well.
直前になる
to be just before
直前に食べる
to eat just before
直前に行う
to do just before
直前のキャンセル
last-minute cancellation
直前のタイミング
last-minute timing
直前の平日
the weekday just before
ゴール直前
just before the goal
テスト直前
just before the test
レース直前
just before the race
食べる直前
just before eating
出発の直前に雨がふりだした。
It started raining right before we left.
ゴール直前でこけてしまった。
I fell down right before the goal.
直前のキャンセルだったので、お金はほとんどもどってこなかった。
Because it was a last-minute cancellation, I hardly got any money back.
すしを食べる直前にしょうゆがないと気づいたんです。
Just as I was about to eat sushi, I realized there was no soy sauce.