<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>While both 以后 (yǐhòu) and 后来 (hòulái) can mean "after," they have distinct uses.</p> <h2 id="以后-is-used-for-the-future-in-general">以后 is used for the future in general</h2> <p>以后 is used when talking about things that happen at some unspecified point in the future.</p> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>以后， + Subj. + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>以后</em> ， 我 打算 去 中国 找 工作 。 <span class= "pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em>, wǒ dǎsuàn qù Zhōngguó zhǎo gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Later, I plan to go to China to look for work.</span></li> <li>他 <em>以后</em> 不 想 住 在 日本 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yǐhòu</em> bù xiǎng zhù zài Rìběn.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't want to live in Japan later.</span></li> <li>我 <em>以后</em> 想 自己 开 公司 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐhòu</em> xiǎng zìjǐ kāi gōngsī.</span><span class="trans">I want to start up my own business later.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="以后-is-used-for-things-occurring-after-a-specific-time">以后 is used for things occurring after a specific time</h2> <p>以后 can be used to describe actions or events that occur after a specific time (and the time must be given).</p> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Time + 以后， Subj. + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <p>Note that the time can be specific (like a date or time) or broad (like an event, action, or occurrence).</p> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>两 个 星期 <em>以后</em> ，我 要 回 美国 。 <span class="pinyin">Liǎng gè xīngqī <em>yǐhòu</em>, wǒ yào huí Měiguó.</span><span class= "trans">After two weeks, I'm going to return to the USA.</span></li> <li>老板 一 个 小时 <em>以后</em> 回来 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn yī gè xiǎoshí <em>yǐhòu</em> huílái.</span> <span class= "pinyin"><span class="trans">The boss will come back in an hour.</span></span></li> <li>从 那 <em>以后</em> ，我 再 也 没 见 过 她 。 <span class="pinyin">Cóng nà <em>yǐhòu</em>, wǒ zài yě méi jiàn guo tā.</span><span class= "trans">After that time, I never saw her again.</span></li> </ul> <h2 id="后来-is-used-for-sequencing-past-events">后来 is used for sequencing past events</h2> <p>后来 is used to sequence two events that have already occurred. It is the Chinese equivalent of the English word "afterward."</p> <h3 id="strucure">Strucure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Past Event 1 + 后来 + Past Event 2</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>去年 我们 分手 了 ， <em>后来</em> 再 也 没 见 过 她 。 <span class= "pinyin">Qùnián wǒmen fēnshǒu le, <em>hòulái</em> zài yě méi jiàn guo tā.</span><span class="trans">We broke up last year, after that, I never saw her again.</span></li> <li>他 小时候 住 在 我 家 附近 ， <em>后来</em> 他 搬家 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā xiǎoshíhou zhù zài wǒ jiā fùjìn, <em>hòulái</em> tā bānjiā le.</span><span class="trans">He lived in my neighborhood when he was young. Then he moved.</span></li> <li>他 在 我们 公司 工作 过 两年 ， <em>后来</em> 换 工作 了 。 <span class= "pinyin">Tā zài wǒmen gōngsī gōngzuò guo liǎng nián, <em>hòulái</em> huàn gōngzuò le.</span><span class="trans">He worked for our company for two years. Then he changed his job.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="right-or-wrong">Right or Wrong</h2> <h3 id="examples-3">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><strong>后来</strong> 不想再见到你！</li> <li><strong>以后</strong> 不想再见到你！</li> <li>我 决定<strong>后来</strong> 不 喝 葡萄酒。</li> <li>我 决定<strong>以后</strong> 不 喝 葡萄酒。</li> <li>两 个 星期 <strong>后来</strong> ，我们 回 美国。</li> <li>两 个 星期 <strong>以后</strong> ，我们 回 美国。</li> <li>我们 <em>以后</em> 分手了，到 现在 已经 一 年 了。</li> <li>我们 <em>后来</em> 分手了，到 现在 已经 一 年 了。</li> <li>我们 在 一起 两 个 月<em>以后</em> 分手了，到 现在 已经 一 年 了。</li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="In_the_future_in_general" title="wikilink">In the future in general</a></li> <li><a href="Sequencing_past_events_with_"houlai"" title= "wikilink">Sequencing past events with "houlai"</a></li> <li><a href="After_a_specific_time" title="wikilink">After a specific time</a></li> <li><a href="Comparing_"houlai"_and_"ranhou"" title="wikilink">Comparing "houlai" and "ranhou"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href= "%E5%AF%B9%E5%A4%96%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E6%95%99%E5%AD%A6%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E9%87%8A%E7%96%91201%E4%BE%8B" class="uri" title="wikilink">对外汉语教学语法释疑201例</a> (以后 vs 后来 p.5) <a href= "http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href= "%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D%EF%BC%88%E5%A2%9E%E8%AE%A2%E6%9C%AC%EF%BC%89" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</a> (p. 614) <a href= "http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide" title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide</a> (pp. 268) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href="Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar" title= "wikilink">Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar</a> (pp. 26 - 27) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2</a> (pp. 294) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide" title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide</a> (pp. 267) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108"> →buy</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:grammar_comparison" title= "wikilink">Category:grammar comparison</a></p> </div> </body> </html>