尔后 (ěr hòu) — (formal/literary) thereafter, subsequently, afterwards

Definition

A formal, literary connector meaning 'after that' or 'subsequently,' used in writing rather than everyday speech. Functions like 然后 but reads as more bookish.

verb
(formal/literary) thereaftersubsequentlyafterwards

Examples

  • ，尔后。
    Tā xiān qù le běi jīng, ěr hòu qù le shàng hǎi.
    He first went to Beijing, and subsequently went to Shanghai.
  • 尔后，。
    ěr hòu, Zhè ge xí sú biàn liú chuán le xià lái.
    Thereafter, this custom was passed down.
  • ，尔后。
    Wǒ men xiān tǎo lùn zhè ge wèn tí, ěr hòu zài jué dìng xià yí bù.
    Let's first discuss this issue, and then decide the next step.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

尔ěrthis
后hòuafter

尔 points to this, 后 means after; together subsequently.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 爾; 尔 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 爾, simplified as 尔, originally drew cloth on a loom with crossing threads. It was borrowed for its sound to write “you,” so the picture is unrelated to that meaning.

Open 尔 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

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