Expressing "before" and "after" with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"

The words "before" and "after" can be expressed using 之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu). They are very similar to 以前 (yǐqián) and 以后 (yǐhòu). Don't forget that these two are talking about before and after in terms of time.

Used as a Preposition

Structure

Event + 之前 / 之后 ，⋯⋯

Examples

• 来 中国 之前 ，我 的 汉语 很 一般 。Lái Zhōngguó zhīqián, wǒ de Hànyǔ yībān.Before I came to China, my Chinese was so so.
• 下班 之后 给 我 打 个 电话 。Xiàbān zhīhòu gěi wǒ dǎ gè diànhuà.Give me a call after you get off work.
• 吃 完 饭 之后 去 看 电影 吧 ？Chī wán fàn zhīhòu qù diànyǐng ba?What about going to the movies after we finish dinner?
• 出国 之前 ，他 和 女朋友 分手了 。Chūguó zhīqián, tā hé nǚpéngyou fēnshǒu le.Before he went abroad, he broke up with his girlfriend.
• 她 每天 放学 之后 都 要 去 上 钢琴 课 。Tā měi tiān fàngxué zhīhòu dōu yào qù shàng gāngqín kè.She needs to go to piano class every day after school.

Used as a Time Word

Structure

⋯⋯ ，之前 / 之后 ⋯⋯

Examples

• 他 在 英国 读 完 了 大学 ，之后 回 上海 了 。Tā zài Yīngguó dú wán le dàxué, zhīhòu huí Shànghǎi le.He finished college in England. Afterwards, he returned to Shanghai.
• 她 当 汉语 老师 四 年 多 了 ，之前 是 教 英语 的 。Tā dāng Hànyǔ lǎoshī sì nián duō le, zhīqián shì jiāo Yīngyǔ de.She's been a Chinese teacher for more than four years. She used to be an English teacher.
• 老板 刚刚 回来 工作 ，之前 在 休假 。Lǎobǎn gānggāng huílái gōngzuò, zhīqián zài xiūjià.The boss just came back to work. He was on vacation before.
• 我们 都 不知道 ，他 之前 什么 也 没 说 。Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào, tā zhīqián shénme yě méi shuō.None of us know. He didn't say anything before.
• 我 现在 去 吃饭 ，之后 去 见 客户 。Wǒ xiànzài qù chīfàn, zhīhòu qù jiàn kèhù.I'm going to eat now. After that I will go to meet a client.

See also

• Sequencing past events with "houlai"
• Before a specific time
• "Ever since" with "zicong"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Home With Kids2 (家有儿女2) (pp. 167) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 93-4) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy