HSK · Level 33
135 words
Chinese word
后人
Pronunciation
Pinyinhòu rén
Meaning
- noundescendants
Example
不要把问题留给后人。bú yào bǎ wèn tí liú gěi hòu rén
Don't leave the problem to your descendants.
More examples
我们应该保护环境，努力造福后人。wǒ men yīng gāi bǎo hù huán jìng nǔ lì zào fú hòu rén
We should protect the environment and work to benefit future generations.
Core concept
A human link extending beyond the present into the generations that follow.
Common phrases
造福后人zào fú hòu rén
benefit future generations
教育后人jiào yù hòu rén
educate future generations
对后人负责duì hòu rén fù zé
be responsible to future generations
Similar words
子孙zǐ sūn: People related by blood as descendants of an earlier family generation.
后代hòu dài: People born in the generations after a person, group, or historical period.
后裔hòu yì: Descendants who trace their family line back to a distant ancestor.
世代shì dài: People born or living in the same period or age group.
Definition in Chinese
指在时间或世代上位于某人之后的人或群体，既可指血缘上的子孙，也可指更广义的后来世代。zhǐ zài shí jiān huò shì dài shàng wèi yú mǒu rén zhī hòu de rén huò qún tǐ jì kě zhǐ xuè yuán shàng de zǐ sūn yě kě zhǐ gèng guǎng yì de hòu lái shì dài
Word origin
The compound 后人 (hòurén, "people who come later") joins 后 (hòu, "after") with 人 (rén, "person"), so its form highlights people positioned after an earlier generation.
Usage tips
- The word often frames responsibility across time, which makes it suitable for historical writing, public decisions, and environmental discussions rather than relaxed conversation.