以后 (yǐ hòu) — after (following a time or event); later; in th…

Definition

General word for 'after' (a past event) or 'later / in the future.' Use it for any timeframe; specific siblings like 将来 (the far future) and 今后 (from now on) narrow the scope.

noun

after (following a time or event)laterin the futureafterwards

Examples

以后。
Chī fàn yǐ hòu wǒ men qù kàn diàn yǐng.
After eating, we'll go watch a movie.
以后。
yǐ hòu Nǐ yào duō hē shuǐ.
In the future, you should drink more water.
以后。
yǐ hòu Wǒ men yì qǐ qù lǚ xíng.
Later, we'll travel together.

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.

以yǐfrom

后hòulater

以 means from, and 后 means later, so 以后 means after.

Characters in this word

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.

幺幺yāothread
夊夊suīfoot

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.

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