Difference between revisions of "Comparing "yihou" "ranhou" "houlai""

Line 2: Line 2:
  
 
以后 (yǐhòu) and 然后 (ránhòu) can both mean "and then," but their usage is fairly different. While both 以后 (yǐhòu) and 后来 (hòulái) can mean "later," they have distinct uses.
 
以后 (yǐhòu) and 然后 (ránhòu) can both mean "and then," but their usage is fairly different. While both 以后 (yǐhòu) and 后来 (hòulái) can mean "later," they have distinct uses.
 +
 +
== Usage of 然后 ==
 +
 +
然后 is always used in a sequence. It is often used with 先 (xiān, meaning "first").
 +
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
*他 先 说 了 一 个 好 消息 , <em>然后</em> 又 说 了 一 个 坏 消息 。<span class="pinyin">Tā xiān shuō le yī gè hǎo xiāoxi, <em>ránhòu</em> yòu shuō le yī gè huài xiāoxi.</span><span class="trans">First he told the good news, then he told the bad news.</span>
 +
</div>
  
 
== Usage of 以后 ==
 
== Usage of 以后 ==
Line 13: Line 21:
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
*我 <em>以后</em> 想 开 公司 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐhòu</em> xiǎng kāi gōngsī.</span><span class="trans">I want to start up my own business in the future.</span>
 
*我 <em>以后</em> 想 开 公司 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐhòu</em> xiǎng kāi gōngsī.</span><span class="trans">I want to start up my own business in the future.</span>
*请 你 <em>以后</em> 别 来 了 。<span class="trans">Please stop coming in the future.</span>
+
*请 你 <em>以后</em> 别 来 了 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng nǐ <em>yǐhòu</em> bié lái le.</span><span class="trans">Please stop coming in the future.</span>
</div>
 
 
 
== Usage of 然后 ==
 
 
 
然后 is always used in a sequence. It is often used with 先 (xiān, meaning "first").
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
*他 先 说 了 一 个 好 消息 , <em>然后</em> 又 说 了 一 个 坏 消息 。<span class="pinyin">Tā xiān shuō le yī gè hǎo xiāoxi, <em>ránhòu</em> yòu shuō le yī gè huài xiāoxi.</span><span class="trans">First he told the good news, then he told the bad news.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Line 28: Line 28:
 
Note that the time can be specific (like a date or time) or broad (like an event, action, or occurrence).  
 
Note that the time can be specific (like a date or time) or broad (like an event, action, or occurrence).  
  
=== Examples ===
+
A  few examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
Line 34: Line 34:
 
*老板 两 个 星期 <em>以后</em> 去 美国 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn liǎng gè xīngqī <em>yǐhòu</em> qù Měiguó.</span><span class="trans">The boss is going to the USA in two weeks.</span>
 
*老板 两 个 星期 <em>以后</em> 去 美国 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn liǎng gè xīngqī <em>yǐhòu</em> qù Měiguó.</span><span class="trans">The boss is going to the USA in two weeks.</span>
 
*我 一 个 小时 <em>以后</em> 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yī gè xiǎoshí <em>yǐhòu</em> huílái.</span><span class="trans"> will come back in an hour.</span>
 
*我 一 个 小时 <em>以后</em> 回来 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yī gè xiǎoshí <em>yǐhòu</em> huílái.</span><span class="trans"> will come back in an hour.</span>
*毕业 <em>以后</em> 他 就 出国 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yī gè xiǎoshí <em>yǐhòu</em> huílái.</span><span class="trans"> will come back in an hour.</span>
+
*毕业 <em>以后</em> 他 就 出国 了 。<span class="pinyin">Bìyè <em>yǐhòu</em> tā jiù chūguó le.</span><span class="trans">He went abroad after he graduated.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 09:33, 6 March 2018

以后 (yǐhòu) and 然后 (ránhòu) can both mean "and then," but their usage is fairly different. While both 以后 (yǐhòu) and 后来 (hòulái) can mean "later," they have distinct uses.

Usage of 然后

然后 is always used in a sequence. It is often used with 先 (xiān, meaning "first").

  • 他 先 说 了 一 个 好 消息 , 然后 又 说 了 一 个 坏 消息 。Tā xiān shuō le yī gè hǎo xiāoxi, ránhòu yòu shuō le yī gè huài xiāoxi.First he told the good news, then he told the bad news.

Usage of 以后

Referring to "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:

  • 以后 想 开 公司 。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 in the future.

Referring to "After A Specific Time Or Event"

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

A few examples:

  • 老板 两 个 星期 以后 去 美国 。Lǎobǎn liǎng gè xīngqī yǐhòu qù Měiguó.The boss is going to the USA in two weeks.
  • 我 一 个 小时 以后 回来 。Wǒ yī gè xiǎoshí yǐhòu huílái. will come back in an hour.
  • 毕业 以后 他 就 出国 了 。Bìyè yǐhòu tā jiù chūguó le.He went abroad after he graduated.

Usage of 后来

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

Also note that 后来 is a time noun, and it can only be used on its own.

[Past Event 1] ,后来 + [Past Event 2]

Examples

  • 去年 我们 分手 了 ,后来 再 也 没 见 过 她 。 Qùnián wǒmen fēnshǒu le, hòulái zài yě méi jiàn guo tā.We broke up last year, after that, I never saw her again.
  • 他 在 我们 公司 干 过 两年 ,后来 跳槽 了 。 Tā zài wǒmen gōngsī gàn gàn guo liǎng nián, hòulái tiàocáo le.He worked for our company for two years. And then he jumped ship.

Right or Wrong

Examples

  • 后来 不想再见到你 !
  • 以后 不想再见到你 !
  • 我 想 先 买房子 ,以后 结婚 。
  • 我 想 先 买房子 ,然后 结婚 。
  • 我们 以后 分手了,到 现在 已经 一 年 了 。
  • 我们 后来 分手了,到 现在 已经 一 年 了 。
  • 我们 在 一起 两 个 月以后 分手了,到 现在 已经 一 年 了 。

Example Dialog

  • A: 我 先 去 你 家,然后 我们 一起 去 见 她 ?First I'll go to your house, then we can go together to see her.
  • B: 好的 。她 出国 以后 你们 见过面 吗 ?Sure. Have you seen each other since she went abroad?
  • A: 见 过 一次 。后来 我 。She left the country two years ago. Since then, I haven't seen her.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries