Comparing "yihou" "ranhou" "houlai"

While both 以后 (yǐhòu) and 后来 (hòulái) can mean "later," they have distinct uses. 然后 (ránhòu) means "and then." Don't let yet another 后 word confuse you!

然后 as "and then"

然后 is a conjunction, which is always used in the middle of a sequence of events. It is often used with 先 (xiān, meaning "first"). Neither 以后 nor 后来 can be used this way.

• 我们 先 复习 一下 ，然后 上 新 课 。Wǒmen xiān fùxí yīxià, ránhòu shàng xīn kè.Let's do some review first and then study a new lesson.

Common Errors

• 我们 先 复习 一下 ，以后 上 新 课 。Wǒmen xiān fùxí yīxià, yǐhòu shàng xīn kè.Let's do some review first and then study a new lesson.
• 我 打算 先 住 朋友家 ，以后 找 房子 。Wǒ dǎsuàn xiān zhù péngyou jiā, yǐhòu zhǎo fángzi.My plan is to stay at my friend's friend, and then find a place to live.
• 我们 下周 去 北京 出差 ，以后 去 欧洲 度假 。Wǒmen xiàzhōu qù Běijīng chūchāi, yǐhòu qù Ōuzhōu dùjià.We're going to Beijing on a business trip and then we go to Europe on vacation.

Simply swapping 以后 for 然后 in each of these sentences would make them correct.

然后 without 先

• 我们 在 楼下 见 ，然后 一起 走 。Wǒmen zài lóuxià jiàn, ránhòu yīqǐ zǒu.We'll meet downstairs and then we go together.
• 宝宝 醒了 ，哭 了 一会儿 ，然后 又 睡着 了 。Bǎobao xǐng le, kū le yīhuìr, ránhòu yòu shuìzháo le.The baby woke up. He cried for a little while and then fell asleep again.
• 中国 是 人口 最多 的 发展中 国家 ，然后 是 印度 。Zhōngguó shì rénkǒu zuì duō de fāzhǎn zhōng guójiā, ránhòu shì Yìndù.China is the biggest developing country and then it's India.

Usage of 以后

以后 as "In the Future"

以后 is a time noun, which can be used to talk about things that happen at some unspecified point in the future while 然后 and 后来 can't be used this way.

A few examples:

• 我 以后 想 开 公司 。Wǒ yǐhòu xiǎng kāi gōngsī.I want to start up my own business in the future.
• 请 你 以后 别 来 了 。Qǐng nǐ yǐhòu bié lái le.Please stop coming here in the future.

以后 as "After"

Note that the time can be specific (like a date or time) or broad (like an event, action, or occurrence).

A few examples:

• 我 一 个 小时 以后 回来 。Wǒ yī gè xiǎoshí yǐhòu huílái. I will come back in an hour.
• 毕业 以后 他 出国 了 。Bìyè yǐhòu tā chūguó le.He went abroad after he graduated.

后来 as "Afterwards"

后来 is used to sequence two events that have already occurred. It is the Chinese equivalent of the English word "afterward."

Structure

[Past Event 1] ，后来 + [Past Event 2]

Examples

• 他 在 我们 公司 干 过 两 年 ，以后 跳槽 了 。Tā zài wǒmen gōngsī gàn guo liǎng nián, yǐhòu tiàocáo le.
• 他 在 我们 公司 干 过 两 年 ，后来 跳槽 了 。Tā zài wǒmen gōngsī gàn guo liǎng nián, hòulái tiàocáo le.He worked for our company for two years, and then he jumped ship.
• 以后 他 去 了 美国 ，然后 他 的 父母 也 搬 过去 了 。Yǐhòu tā qù le Měiguó. Ránhòu tā de fùmǔ yě bān guòqù le.
• 后来 他 去 了 美国 ，然后 他 的 父母 也 搬 过去 了 。You get the sense here that we're coming in mid-story, after some past events have already happened.Hòulái tā qù le Měiguó. Ránhòu tā de fùmǔ yě bān guòqù le.Afterwards he moved to the US. And then his parents also moved over there.
• 他们 大学 的时候 在一起 过 ，以后 分手了 。 Tāmen dàxué de shíhou zài yīqǐ guo, yǐhòu fēnshǒu le.
• 他们 大学 的时候 在一起 过 ，后来 分手了 。 Tāmen dàxué de shíhou zài yīqǐ guo, hòulái fēnshǒu le.They were together in college. They broke up later on.

Example Dialog

• A: 我 先 去 你 家 ，然后 我们 一起 去 见 她 。Wǒ xiān qù nǐ jiā, ránhòu wǒmen yīqǐ qù jiàn tā.I'll go to your house first, then we can go together to see her.
• B: 好的 。我 好久 没 见 她 了 ！ 她 出国 以后 你们 见过面 吗 ？Hǎo de. Wǒ hǎojiǔ méi jiàn tā le! Tā chūguó yǐhòu nǐmen jiàn guo miàn ma?Sure. I haven't seen her in so long! Have you seen each other since she went abroad?
• A: 见 过 一次 ，后来 再也 没见过 。Jiàn guo yī cì, hòulái zài yě méi jiàn guo.We met once, but I haven't seen her since then.

See also

• In the future in general
• Sequencing past events with "houlai"
• After a specific time
• Comparing "houlai" and "ranhou"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (pp. 5) [ →buy]
• 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (pp. 7) [ →buy]
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 461) [ →buy]
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 614) [ →buy]
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 268) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 26 - 27) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (pp. 294) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 267) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 570) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

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