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不久以后 (bù jiǔ yǐ hòu) — soon after; shortly afterward

Definition

Phrase meaning 'soon after; shortly afterward', usually placed before or after an event clause to show the next thing that happens. Functions adverbially, not as a main verb.

verb
soon aftershortly afterward

Examples

  • 不久以后，。
    bù jiǔ yǐ hòu, Tā jiù bān dào le běi jīng.
    Soon after, he moved to Beijing.
  • 不久以后。
    Wǒ men rèn shi bù jiǔ yǐ hòu jiù jié hūn le.
    Soon after we met, we got married.
  • 不久以后，。
    Kǎo shì jié shù bù jiǔ yǐ hòu, chéng jì jiù gōng bù le.
    Shortly after the exam ended, the results were announced.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

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

久 likely came from a simple drawing of an arrow tip.

Open 久 →

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

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

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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 →
Appears in
Time (Abstract)

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