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

 
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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!
 
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 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.
 
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.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
*我们 <strong>先</strong> 复习 一下 ,<em>然后</em> 上 新 课 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>xiān</strong> fùxí yīxià, <em>ránhòu</em> shàng xīn kè.</span><span class="trans">Let's do some review first and then study a new lesson.</span>
 
*我们 <strong>先</strong> 复习 一下 ,<em>然后</em> 上 新 课 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>xiān</strong> fùxí yīxià, <em>ránhòu</em> shàng xīn kè.</span><span class="trans">Let's do some review first and then study a new lesson.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Common Errors ===
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=== Common Mistakes ===
  
 
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<div class="liju">
 
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*我们 在 楼下 见 ,<em>然后</em> 一起 走 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài lóuxià jiàn, <em>ránhòu</em> yīqǐ zǒu.</span><span class="trans">We'll meet downstairs and then we go together.</span>
 
*我们 在 楼下 见 ,<em>然后</em> 一起 走 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài lóuxià jiàn, <em>ránhòu</em> yīqǐ zǒu.</span><span class="trans">We'll meet downstairs and then we go together.</span>
 
*宝宝 醒了 ,哭 了 一会儿 ,<em>然后</em> 又 睡着 了 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao xǐng le, kū le yīhuìr, <em>ránhòu</em> yòu shuìzháo le.</span><span class="trans">The baby woke up. He cried for a little while and then fell asleep again.</span>
 
*宝宝 醒了 ,哭 了 一会儿 ,<em>然后</em> 又 睡着 了 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎobao xǐng le, kū le yīhuìr, <em>ránhòu</em> yòu shuìzháo le.</span><span class="trans">The baby woke up. He cried for a little while and then fell asleep again.</span>
 
*中国 是 人口 最多 的 发展中 国家 ,<em>然后</em> 是 印度 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó shì rénkǒu zuì duō de fāzhǎn zhōng guójiā, <em>ránhòu</em> shì Yìndù.</span><span class="trans">China is the biggest developing country and then it's India.</span>
 
*中国 是 人口 最多 的 发展中 国家 ,<em>然后</em> 是 印度 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó shì rénkǒu zuì duō de fāzhǎn zhōng guójiā, <em>ránhòu</em> shì Yìndù.</span><span class="trans">China is the biggest developing country and then it's India.</span>
 
 
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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.
 
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:
+
A few examples:
  
 
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<div class="liju">
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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).  
  
A few examples:
+
A few examples:
  
 
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<ul>
 
<ul>
 
<li class="x">他 在 我们 公司 干 过 两 年 ,<em>以后</em> 跳槽 <strong>了</strong>  。<span class="pinyin">Tā zài wǒmen gōngsī gàn guo liǎng nián, <em>yǐhòu</em> tiàocáo <strong>le</strong>.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">他 在 我们 公司 干 过 两 年 ,<em>以后</em> 跳槽 <strong>了</strong>  。<span class="pinyin">Tā zài wǒmen gōngsī gàn guo liǎng nián, <em>yǐhòu</em> tiàocáo <strong>le</strong>.</span></li>
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<li class="o">他们 大学 的时候 在一起 过 ,<em>后</em> 分手了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen dàxué de shíhou zài yīqǐ guo, <em>hòulái</em> fēnshǒu le.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">他们 大学 的时候 在一起 过 ,<em>后</em> 分手了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen dàxué de shíhou zài yīqǐ guo, <em>hòulái</em> fēnshǒu le.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Example Dialog==
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== Example Dialog ==
  
 
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<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 <strong>先</strong> 去 你 家 ,<em>然后</em> 我们 一起 去 见 她 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>xiān</strong> qù nǐ jiā, <em>ránhòu</em> wǒmen yīqǐ qù jiàn tā.</span><span class="trans">I'll go to your house first, then we can go together to see her.</span></li>
 
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 <strong>先</strong> 去 你 家 ,<em>然后</em> 我们 一起 去 见 她 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>xiān</strong> qù nǐ jiā, <em>ránhòu</em> wǒmen yīqǐ qù jiàn tā.</span><span class="trans">I'll go to your house first, then we can go together to see her.</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 见 过 一次  ,<em>后来</em> 再也 没见过 。<span class="pinyin">Jiàn guo yī cì, <em>hòulái</em> zài yě méi jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">We met once, but I haven't seen her since then.</span></li>
 
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 见 过 一次  ,<em>后来</em> 再也 没见过 。<span class="pinyin">Jiàn guo yī cì, <em>hòulái</em> zài yě méi jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">We met once, but I haven't seen her since then.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Latest revision as of 07:39, 19 January 2021

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 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 Mistakes

  • 我们 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 after that we'll 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:

  • 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 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 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 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 美国 ,然后 他 的 父母 也 搬 过去 Yǐhòu tā qù le Měiguó. Ránhòu tā de fùmǔ yě bān guòqù le.
  • 后来 他 去 美国 ,然后 他 的 父母 也 搬 过去 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 , 分手了 。 Tāmen dàxué de shíhou zài yīqǐ guo, hòulái fēnshǒu le.

Example Dialog

  • A: 去 你 家 ,然后 我们 一起 去 见 她 。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

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries