Definition
之后 (zhī hòu) means 'after' a specific time or event, and is the most neutral, all-purpose word in this group. It can start a sentence (Afterwards...) or follow a noun phrase (three years later). 以后 (yǐ hòu) is similar but often implies 'in the future' or 'from now on'; 后来 (hòu lái) refers only to past events and cannot follow a specific time point.
noun
after (a time or event)afterwardslater
Easily confused
- 滞后zhì hòusound-aliketo lag behind, to fall behind
Examples
- 之后，。Chī wán wǎnfàn zhī hòu, wǒmen chūqù sànbù.After finishing dinner, we go out for a walk.
- 之后，。Sān nián zhī hòu, wǒmen yòu zài tóng yí gè chéngshì jiàn miàn le.Three years later, we met again in the same city.
- 之后，。zhī hòu, tā zài yě méi lái guo zhèlǐ.Afterwards, he never came here again.
Grammar
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