After a specific time with "yihou"

Just as 以前 (yǐqián) can be used to describe the previous events before the current situation, 以后 (yǐhòu) can be used to describe the events that follow the current situation. 以后 (yǐhòu) is similar to the English word, "after."

Structure

This grammar structure is similar to the English "after such-and-such, something happens." It's quite simple, all you have to do is put the "after" after the time words or time phrase.

Time + 以后， Subj. + Verb + Obj.

Verb + 以后， Subj. + Verb + Obj.

The time can be a time or date, or an action or event. It may or may not be in the future.

Examples

• 下午 三点 以后， 我 不 在 家。 Xiàwǔ sāndiǎn yǐhòu, wǒ bù zài jiā. After three o'clock in the afternoon, I will not be at home.
• 来 中国 以后， 她 认识 了 她 的 老公。 Lái Zhōngguó yǐhòu, tā rènshi le tā de lǎogōng. After coming to China, she met her husband.
• 她 一 个 月 以后 开始 上班。Tā yī gè yuè yǐhòu kāishǐ shàngbān. After a month, she will start working.
• 吃 完 午饭 以后 ， 我们 要 开会。Chī wán wǔfàn yǐhòu, wǒmen yào kāihuì. We are going to have a meeting after we finish lunch.
• 几年 以后 ，我们 公司 会 更 大。 Jǐnián yǐhòu, wǒmen gōngsī huì gèng dà. In a few years, our company will be ever bigger.
• 老板 半个小时 以后 回来。Lǎobǎn bàn gè xiǎoshí yǐhòu huílái. The boss will come back after half an hour.
• 下班 以后，你 想 跟 我们 一起 去 酒吧 吗? Xiàbān yǐhòu, nǐ xiǎng gēn wǒmen yīqǐ qù jiǔbā ma? After we get off work, would you like to go to a bar with us?
• 老板 来 了 以后 ，大家 都 不 说话 了。 Lǎobǎn lái le yǐhòu, dàjiā dōu bù shuōhuà le. After the boss came, everyone stopped talking.
• 你 到 家 以后 给 我 打电话。Nǐ dào jiā yǐhòu gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà. After you get home, call me.
• 生病 以后 ，爸爸 不 喝酒 了。Shēngbìng yǐhòu , bàba bù hē jiǔ le. After dad got sick, he stopped drinking.

See also

• Before a specific time
• In the future in general
• At the time when
• Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"

Sources and further reading

• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (p. 261) →buy

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Property "Is similar to" (as page type) with input value "Before a time" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process.