lí​míng​qián​de​hēi'àn

darkness before dawn

  1. dawn
    dawn; daybreak; the time when it is just starting to get light
  2. qián prepositionlocative
    before
    (bound form) ago; before; earlier; previously
  3. de particle
    [possessive/attributive]
    Connects a describing word or phrase to the noun it describes; also used to indicate a possessive relationship.
  4. 黑暗 hēi'àn adjectivenoun
    dark
    dark; dim; having no light or brightness