Chinese word

之后

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhī hòu

Meaning

  • adverblater

Example

之后我们再说。zhī hòu wǒ men zài shuō

We will talk again later.

Illustration for 之后 (later)

More examples

几天之后，他就收到了消息。jǐ tiān zhī hòu tā jiù shōu dào le xiāo xī

A few days later, he received the message.

Core concept

A later point connected to a previous event, whether the next moment or a more distant time.

Common phrases

  • 几天之后jǐ tiān zhī hòu

    a few days later

  • 考试之后kǎo shì zhī hòu

    after the exam

Similar words

以后yǐ hòu: Means at any time after a stated point, across the period that follows.
然后rán hòu: Marks the event or action that comes next after something is completed.
后来hòu lái: Points to later past events or changes as a group.
随后suí hòu: Shows that something happens directly after another event.

Definition in Chinese

作为副词，表示某事发生之后的时间或随之发生的情况，语义上强调先后次序，语气中性偏正式。zuò wéi fù cí biǎo shì mǒu shì fā shēng zhī hòu de shí jiān huò suí zhī fā shēng de qíng kuàng yǔ yì shàng qiáng diào xiān hòu cì xù yǔ qì zhōng xìng piān zhèng shì

Word origin

之后 (zhīhòu, "afterward") combines 之 (zhī, "linking particle") + 后 (hòu, "after"), connecting a reference event with the time that follows it.

Usage tips

  • Its slightly formal tone makes it common in written instructions and careful explanations, while everyday speech may choose a more casual time expression.

Other meanings

  • afternoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word