Difference between revisions of "Comparing "yihou" and "zhihou""

 
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Both "以后" (yǐhòu) or "之后" (zhīhòu) mean "after," but there are a few tiny differences in usage.
  
If you are trying to explain what you did after a certain event, you might want to use "以后" (yǐhòu) or "之后" (zhīhòu). After all, they do both mean "after," right? Well, it turns out that there are a few rules that you need to be aware of before you use them.
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== Similarities between 以后 and 之后 ==
  
== Similarity ==
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Both can indicate another event happened ''after'' a ''specific time''.
 
 
Both indicates another event happened after a special time. these two words share a structure, so it is easy to see how they would be easily confused. Here's the structure:
 
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
Subj. + Specified Time + 以后/之后 + Verb
Subj. + Special Time + 以后/之后 + Action
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
In situations where you have already done something and then after that you did something else, you can use "以后." The stipulation with this is that the time has to be explicitly said. That is, there has to be a time for "以后" to modify. Otherwise the sentence won't make sense.  
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In situations something happens after ''something else'', you can use 以后. The stipulation with this is that "after ''WHAT''" needs to be explicitly stated. That is, there has to be a "specified time" for 以后 to modify. Otherwise 以后 won't work in those sentences.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
 +
 +
以后 and 之后 may be freely interchanged in any of the below sentences.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 下 过 雨 <em>以后</em>/ <em>之后</em> 空气 会 好 很 多 。<span class="pinyin">Xià guo yǔ <em>yǐhòu</em> /<em> zhīhòu</em> kōngqì huì hǎo hěn duō.</span> <span class="trans">After it rains, the air will be a lot better.</span>
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* 下 过 雨 <em>以后</em> 空气 会 好 很 多 。<span class="pinyin">Xià guo yǔ <em>yǐhòu</em> kōngqì huì hǎo hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">After it rains, the air will be a lot better.</span>
* 结婚 <em>以后</em>/ <em>之后</em>他们 有 了 两 个 宝宝 。 <span class="pinyin">Jiéhūn <em>yǐhòu</em> /<em> zhīhòu</em> tāmen yǒu le liǎng gè bǎobǎo.</span> <span class="trans">After getting married, they had two babies.</span>
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* 结婚 <em>之后</em> 他们 有 了 两 个 宝宝 。 <span class="pinyin">Jiéhūn <em>zhīhòu</em> tāmen yǒu le liǎng gè bǎobao.</span><span class="trans">After getting married, they had two babies.</span>
* 等 我 涨 工资 <em>以后</em>/ <em>之后</em>请 你 吃饭 。 <span class="pinyin">Děng wǒ zhǎng gōngzī <em> yǐhòu</em> /<em> zhīhòu</em> qǐng nǐ chīfàn.</span> <span class="trans">After I get a raise, I will treat you to a meal.</span>
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* 等 我 涨 工资 <em>以后</em> 请 你 吃饭 。 <span class="pinyin">Děng wǒ zhǎng gōngzī <em> yǐhòu</em> qǐng nǐ chīfàn.</span><span class="trans">After I get a raise, I will treat take you out to eat.</span>
* 听到 这 个 消息 <em>以后</em>/ <em>之后</em> ,我 高兴 得 一 晚 上 没 睡 。 <span class="pinyin">Tīngdào zhè gè xiāoxi <em> yǐhòu</em> /<em> zhīhòu</em>, wǒ gāoxìng de yī wǎn shàng méi shuì.</span> <span class="trans">After I heard this news, I was so happy I couldn't sleep the whole night.</span>
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* 听到 这 个 消息 <em>之后</em> ,我 高兴 得 一 晚上 没 睡 。 <span class="pinyin">Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi <em>zhīhòu</em>, wǒ gāoxìng de yī wǎnshang méi shuì.</span><span class="trans">After I heard this news, I was so happy I couldn't sleep the whole night.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Differences ==
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== Differences between 以后 and 之后 ==
  
Now you might be thinking, "But [[After a specific time|'以后' means afterwards]], why doesn't that work?" In this case, "以后" is just used to talk about [[In the future in general|the future in general]]. The meaning that you're probably thinking of comes from the first structure above.
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The key to understanding 以后 here is that if it doesn't come ''immediately after'' something else, then it's being used ''by itself''. And when 以后 is used by itself, it doesn't mean [[After a specific time|"after;"]] it means [[In the future in general|"in the future."]]
  
=== 以后 ===
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=== 以后 by Itself Means "In the Future" ===
  
 
==== Structure ====  
 
==== Structure ====  
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
以后 ,⋯⋯
 +
</div>
  
以后,Comment
+
==== Examples ====
  
</div>
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<div class="liju">
  
==== Examples ====  
+
* <em>以后</em> 再 也 不 来 这里 吃饭 了 , 又 贵 又 难吃 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> zài yě bù lái zhèlǐ chīfàn le, yòu guì yòu nánchī.</span><span class="trans">In the future I will never come to this place to eat again. It's expensive and the food is terrible.</span>
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* <em>以后</em> 我 可能 会 去 国外 上 大学 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> wǒ kěnéng huì qù guówài shàng dàxué.</span><span class="trans">In the future I might go to college abroad.</span>
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* <em>以后</em> 的 事情 <em>以后</em> 再 说 吧 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> de shìqing <em>yǐhòu</em> zài shuō bā.</span><span class="trans">We'll talk about future issues in the future.</span>
  
<div class="liju">
 
* <em>以后</em> 再 也 不 来 这里 吃饭 了 , 又 贵 又 难吃 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> zài yě bù lái zhèlǐ chīfàn le, yòu guì yòu nánchī. </span> <span class="trans">In the future I will never come to this place to eat again. It's expensive and the food is not good.</span>
 
* <em>以后</em> 我 可能 会 去 国外 上 大学 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> wǒ kěnéng huì qù guówài shàng dàxué. </span> <span class="trans">In the future I might go to college abroad.</span>
 
* <em>以后</em> 的 事情 <em>以后</em> 再 说 吧 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> de shìqing <em>yǐhòu</em> zài shuō bā.</span> <span class="trans">We'll talk about future things some time later.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== 之后 ===
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=== 之后 by Itself Means "After that" ===
  
Compared to "以后", "之后" is a little more free. Not only can it happen in the same place, [[Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"|modifying the time]], but it can also appear just on its own, meaning something along the lines of "then." While "以后" is dependent on the time, "之后" can stand by itself.
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Compared to 以后, 之后 is a little more flexible. Not only can it be used just like 以后, [[Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"|modifying the time]], but it can also appear independently, meaning something along the lines of "after that." While 以后 must come after a specific time to mean "after," it cannot can stand by itself like this.
  
 
==== Structure ====  
 
==== Structure ====  
  
There is another structure that only works with "之后":
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
+
(Event 1 ,) 之后 + Event 2
Subj. + Event, 之后 + Action
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*我 要 先 回家 把 东西 放 下 , <em>之后</em> 去 咖啡店 找 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào xiān huí jiā bǎ dōngxi fàng xià, <em>zhīhòu</em> qù kāfēidiàn zhǎo nǐ.</span> <span class="trans">I'm going to go home and drop my stuff off first, then go to the cafe to look for you.</span>
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*我 要 先 回家 把 东西 放 下 ,<em>之后</em> 去 咖啡店 找 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào xiān huí jiā bǎ dōngxi fàng xià, <em>zhīhòu</em> qù kāfēidiàn zhǎo nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to go home and drop my stuff off first, after that go to the cafe to look for you.</span>
*去年 夏天 他 来 过 我 家 , <em>之后</em> 再 也 没 见 他 。 <span class="pinyin">Qùnián xiàtiān tā lái guò wǒ jiā, <em>zhīhòu</em> zài yě méi jiàn dào tā.</span> <span class="trans">Last summer, he came to my house. After that, I haven't seen him.</span>
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*去年 夏天 他 来 过 我 家 ,<em>之后</em> 再 也 没 见 他 。 <span class="pinyin">Qùnián xiàtiān tā lái guò wǒ jiā, <em>zhīhòu</em> zài yě méi jiàn guo tā.</span><span class="trans">Last summer, he came to my house. After that, I haven't seen him.</span>
*房子 涨价 <em>之后</em> , 越 来 越 多 的 人 开始 买 房 。 <span class="pinyin">Fángzi zhǎngjià <em>zhīhòu</em>, Yuè lái Yuè duō de rén kāishǐ mǎi Fáng.</span> <span class="trans">After prices went up, more and more people started buying houses.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Right or Wrong ===
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== Common Mistakes with 以后 and 之后 ==
 +
 
 +
In the following sentences, 以后 is not grammatical when it's not directly coupled with a time or event telling you ''after what''. 之后 can be used here to mean "after that."
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li class="x">我 六 点 下班,<em>以后</em>,我 去 跟 朋友 吃饭。<span class="expl">Since there is nothing that "以后" modifies, this sentence doesn't work.</span></li>
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<li class="x">我 六 点 下班 。 <em>以后</em>,我 去 跟 朋友 吃饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ liù diǎn xiàbān. <em> Yǐhòu</em>, wǒ qù gēn péngyou chīfàn.</span></li>
<li class="o">我 六 点 下班,<em>之后</em>,我 去 跟 朋友 吃饭。<span class="expl">"之后" works in this sentence.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ liù diǎn xiàbān, <strong> xiàbān</strong> <em> yǐhòu</em>, wǒ qù gēn péngyou chīfàn.</span><span class="trans">I will get off work at six o'clock, and after that I will meet with a friend to eat dinner.</span></li>
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<li class="o">我 六 点 下班 。 <em>之后</em>,我 去 跟 朋友 吃饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ liù diǎn xiàbān. <em>Zhīhòu</em>, wǒ qù gēn péngyou chīfàn.</span><span class="trans">I will get off work at six o'clock. After that, I will meet a friend for dinner.</span></li>
<li class="o">昨天 <strong>我 跟 朋友 吃饭</strong><em>以后</em>去 了 酒吧。<span class="trans">Yesterday, when my friends and I were done eating, we went to the bar.</span></li>
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</ul>
<li class="x">昨天 我 跟 朋友 吃饭 了,<em>以后</em>,我们 去 酒吧。<span class="expl">Again, since there is nothing for "以后" to modify, it's a bad sentence.</span></li>
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<li class="o">昨天 我 跟 朋友 吃饭 了,<em>之后</em>,我们 去 酒吧。<span class="expl">"之后" works in this sentence.</span><span class="trans">Yesterday I ate dinner with a friend, and afterward we went to a bar.</span></li>
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<ul>
 +
<li class="o">昨天 <strong>我 跟 朋友 吃 完 饭</strong> <em>以后</em> 去 打 篮球 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān <strong>wǒ gēn péngyou chī wán fàn</strong> <em>yǐhòu</em> qù dǎ lánqiú le.</span></li>
 +
<li class="o">昨天 <strong>我 跟 朋友 吃 完 饭</strong> <em>之后</em> 去 打 篮球 。<span class="expl">When a time is specified, both are fine.</span><span class="pinyin">Zuótiān <strong>wǒ gēn péngyou chī wán fàn</strong> <em>Zhīhòu</em> qù dǎ lánqiú le.</span><span class="trans">Yesterday after finishing eating with my friends, we played basketball.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
 +
 
 +
<ul>
 +
<li class="x">昨天 我 跟 朋友 吃饭 了 。 <em>以后</em>,我们 去 了 宠物店 。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ gēn péngyou qù chīfàn le. <em>Yǐhòu</em>, wǒmen qù le chǒngwù diàn.</span></li>
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<li class="o">昨天 我 跟 朋友 吃饭 了 。 <em>之后</em>,我们 去 了 宠物店 。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ gēn péngyou qù chīfàn le. <em>Zhīhòu</em>, wǒmen qù le chǒngwù diàn.</span><span class="trans">Yesterday I ate dinner with a friend. Afterward, we went to a pet shop.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 +
 
*[[After a specific time]]
 
*[[After a specific time]]
 
*[[In the future in general]]
 
*[[In the future in general]]
 
*[[Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"]]
 
*[[Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"]]
 
*[[Comparing "yihou" and "houlai"]]
 
*[[Comparing "yihou" and "houlai"]]
 
==Sources and Further Reading==
 
'''NEEDS SOURCES'''
 
  
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|以后|B1|以后 vs 之后|我 昨天 跟 朋友 吃饭. 吃完 <em>以后</em> 去 超市. 之后 我们 回家 了 |grammar point|ASGC3SCN}}
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{{Basic Grammar|以后|B2|以后 vs. 之后|我 昨天 吃完 <em>以后</em> 去 超市 。之后 我 就 回家 了 |grammar point|ASGC3SCN}}
 
{{Rel char|之后}}
 
{{Rel char|之后}}
 
{{Similar|In the future in general}}
 
{{Similar|In the future in general}}
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{{Translation|later}}
 
{{Translation|later}}
 
{{Translation|after}}
 
{{Translation|after}}
 +
{{Translation|afterwards}}
 
{{Comparison|Time Words}}
 
{{Comparison|Time Words}}

Latest revision as of 02:17, 8 March 2021

Both "以后" (yǐhòu) or "之后" (zhīhòu) mean "after," but there are a few tiny differences in usage.

Similarities between 以后 and 之后

Both can indicate another event happened after a specific time.

Structure

Subj. + Specified Time + 以后/之后 + Verb

In situations something happens after something else, you can use 以后. The stipulation with this is that "after WHAT" needs to be explicitly stated. That is, there has to be a "specified time" for 以后 to modify. Otherwise 以后 won't work in those sentences.

Examples

以后 and 之后 may be freely interchanged in any of the below sentences.

  • 下 过 雨 以后 空气 会 好 很 多 。Xià guo yǔ yǐhòu kōngqì huì hǎo hěn duō.After it rains, the air will be a lot better.
  • 结婚 之后 他们 有 了 两 个 宝宝 。 Jiéhūn zhīhòu tāmen yǒu le liǎng gè bǎobao.After getting married, they had two babies.
  • 等 我 涨 工资 以后 请 你 吃饭 。 Děng wǒ zhǎng gōngzī yǐhòu qǐng nǐ chīfàn.After I get a raise, I will treat take you out to eat.
  • 听到 这 个 消息 之后 ,我 高兴 得 一 晚上 没 睡 。 Tīngdào zhège xiāoxi zhīhòu, wǒ gāoxìng de yī wǎnshang méi shuì.After I heard this news, I was so happy I couldn't sleep the whole night.

Differences between 以后 and 之后

The key to understanding 以后 here is that if it doesn't come immediately after something else, then it's being used by itself. And when 以后 is used by itself, it doesn't mean "after;" it means "in the future."

以后 by Itself Means "In the Future"

Structure

以后 ,⋯⋯

Examples

  • 以后 再 也 不 来 这里 吃饭 了 , 又 贵 又 难吃 。 Yǐhòu zài yě bù lái zhèlǐ chīfàn le, yòu guì yòu nánchī.In the future I will never come to this place to eat again. It's expensive and the food is terrible.
  • 以后 我 可能 会 去 国外 上 大学 。 Yǐhòu wǒ kěnéng huì qù guówài shàng dàxué.In the future I might go to college abroad.
  • 以后 的 事情 以后 再 说 吧 。 Yǐhòu de shìqing yǐhòu zài shuō bā.We'll talk about future issues in the future.

之后 by Itself Means "After that"

Compared to 以后, 之后 is a little more flexible. Not only can it be used just like 以后, modifying the time, but it can also appear independently, meaning something along the lines of "after that." While 以后 must come after a specific time to mean "after," it cannot can stand by itself like this.

Structure

(Event 1 ,) 之后 + Event 2

Examples

  • 我 要 先 回家 把 东西 放 下 ,之后 去 咖啡店 找 你 。 Wǒ yào xiān huí jiā bǎ dōngxi fàng xià, zhīhòu qù kāfēidiàn zhǎo nǐ.I'm going to go home and drop my stuff off first, after that go to the cafe to look for you.
  • 去年 夏天 他 来 过 我 家 ,之后 再 也 没 见 过 他 。 Qùnián xiàtiān tā lái guò wǒ jiā, zhīhòu zài yě méi jiàn guo tā.Last summer, he came to my house. After that, I haven't seen him.

Common Mistakes with 以后 and 之后

In the following sentences, 以后 is not grammatical when it's not directly coupled with a time or event telling you after what. 之后 can be used here to mean "after that."

  • 我 六 点 下班 。 以后,我 去 跟 朋友 吃饭。Wǒ liù diǎn xiàbān. Yǐhòu, wǒ qù gēn péngyou chīfàn.
  • 我 六 点 下班 。 之后,我 去 跟 朋友 吃饭。Wǒ liù diǎn xiàbān. Zhīhòu, wǒ qù gēn péngyou chīfàn.I will get off work at six o'clock. After that, I will meet a friend for dinner.
  • 昨天 我 跟 朋友 吃 完 饭 以后 去 打 篮球 了 。Zuótiān wǒ gēn péngyou chī wán fàn yǐhòu qù dǎ lánqiú le.
  • 昨天 我 跟 朋友 吃 完 饭 之后 去 打 篮球 了 。When a time is specified, both are fine.Zuótiān wǒ gēn péngyou chī wán fàn Zhīhòu qù dǎ lánqiú le.Yesterday after finishing eating with my friends, we played basketball.
  • 昨天 我 跟 朋友 去 吃饭 了 。 以后,我们 去 了 宠物店 。Zuótiān wǒ gēn péngyou qù chīfàn le. Yǐhòu, wǒmen qù le chǒngwù diàn.
  • 昨天 我 跟 朋友 去 吃饭 了 。 之后,我们 去 了 宠物店 。Zuótiān wǒ gēn péngyou qù chīfàn le. Zhīhòu, wǒmen qù le chǒngwù diàn.Yesterday I ate dinner with a friend. Afterward, we went to a pet shop.

See Also

HSK5