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从那之后 (cóng nà zhī hòu) — since then, from that point on

Definition

A time phrase meaning 'from that point on' — links a past event to everything that followed, like 'ever since' or 'after that'. Used to introduce a chain of consequences starting from a specific moment.

idiom
since thenfrom that point on

Examples

  • 从那之后，。
    cóng nà zhī hòu, Tā měi tiān dōu hěn nǔ lì.
    Since then, he has been working hard every day.
  • 从那之后，。
    cóng nà zhī hòu, Wǒ zài yě méi yǒu jiàn guò tā.
    After that, I never saw her again.
  • 从那之后，。
    cóng nà zhī hòu, Wǒ men kāi shǐ yì qǐ xué xí zhōng wén.
    From that point on, we started learning Chinese together.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
邑邑yìcity
Sound part声符shēngfú
冄
冉rǎn那nà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The right part 邑 shows a city, and the left part 冄 (written 冉) gives the sound. The character first named a state and was later used to mean 'that'.

Open 那 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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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