Difference between revisions of "Expressing "before" and "after" with "zhiqian" and "zhihou""

 
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{{Grammar  Box}}
 
{{Grammar  Box}}
  
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'''.
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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), but are slightly more formal.
  
== Used at the End of a Phrase==
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== Used at the End of a Phrase ==
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In this pattern, 之前 and 之后 come at the start of a sentence, right after mention of some kind of event or thing that happened.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*来 中国 <em>之前</em> ,我 的 汉语 很 一般 。<span class="pinyin">Lái Zhōngguó <em>zhīqián</em>, wǒ de Hànyǔ yībān.</span><span class="trans">Before I came to China, my Chinese was so so.</span>
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*来 中国 <em>之前</em> ,我 的 汉语 很 一般 。<span class="pinyin">Lái Zhōngguó <em>zhīqián</em>, wǒ de Hànyǔ hěn yībān.</span><span class="trans">Before I came to China, my Chinese was really mediocre.</span>
 
*下班 <em>之后</em> 给 我  打 个 电话 。<span class="pinyin">Xiàbān <em>zhīhòu</em> gěi wǒ dǎ gè diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Give me a call after you get off work.</span>
 
*下班 <em>之后</em> 给 我  打 个 电话 。<span class="pinyin">Xiàbān <em>zhīhòu</em> gěi wǒ dǎ gè diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Give me a call after you get off work.</span>
*吃 完 饭 <em>之后</em> 去 看 电影 吧 ?<span class="pinyin">Chī wán fàn <em>zhīhòu</em> qù diànyǐng ba?</span><span class="trans">What about going to the movies after we finish dinner?</span>
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*吃 完 饭 <em>之后</em> 去 看 电影 吧 ?<span class="pinyin">Chī wán fàn <em>zhīhòu</em> qù kàn diànyǐng ba?</span><span class="trans">What about going to the movies after eating dinner?</span>
 
*出国 <em>之前</em> ,他 和 女朋友 分手了 。<span class="pinyin">Chūguó <em>zhīqián</em>, tā hé nǚpéngyou fēnshǒu le.</span><span class="trans">Before he went abroad, he broke up with his girlfriend.</span>
 
*出国 <em>之前</em> ,他 和 女朋友 分手了 。<span class="pinyin">Chūguó <em>zhīqián</em>, tā hé nǚpéngyou fēnshǒu le.</span><span class="trans">Before he went abroad, he broke up with his girlfriend.</span>
*她 每天 放学 <em>之后</em> 都 要 去 上 钢琴 课 。<span class="pinyin">Tā měi tiān fàngxué <em>zhīhòu</em> dōu yào qù shàng gāngqín kè.</span><span class="trans">She needs to go to piano class every day after school.</span>
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*她 每天 放学 <em>之后</em> 都 要 去 上 钢琴 课 。<span class="pinyin">Tā měi tiān fàngxué <em>zhīhòu</em> dōu yào qù shàng gāngqín kè.</span><span class="trans">She needs to go to piano lessons every day after school.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Used as a Time Word ==
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== Used as a Time Word ==
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 +
In this pattern, 之前 and 之后 usually come at the start of a phrase, in the middle of a sentence.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*他 在 英国 读 完 了 大学 ,<em>之后</em> 回 上海 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zài Yīngguó dú wán le dàxué, <em>zhīhòu</em> huí Shànghǎi le.</span><span class="trans">He finished college in England. Afterwards, he returned to Shanghai.</span>
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*他 在 英国 读 完 了 大学 ,<em>之后</em> 回 上海 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zài Yīngguó dú wán le dàxué, <em>zhīhòu</em> huí Shànghǎi le.</span><span class="trans">He finished university in England. Afterwards, he returned to Shanghai.</span>
 
*她 当 汉语 老师 四 年 多 了 ,<em>之前</em> 是 教 英语 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā dāng Hànyǔ lǎoshī sì nián duō le, <em>zhīqián</em> shì jiāo Yīngyǔ de.</span><span class="trans">She's been a Chinese teacher for more than four years. She used to be an English teacher.</span>
 
*她 当 汉语 老师 四 年 多 了 ,<em>之前</em> 是 教 英语 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā dāng Hànyǔ lǎoshī sì nián duō le, <em>zhīqián</em> shì jiāo Yīngyǔ de.</span><span class="trans">She's been a Chinese teacher for more than four years. She used to be an English teacher.</span>
*老板 刚刚 回来 工作 ,<em>之前</em> 在 休假 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn gānggāng huílái gōngzuò, <em>zhīqián</em> zài xiūjià.</span><span class="trans">The boss just came back to work. He was on vacation before.</span>
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*老板 刚刚 回来 ,<em>之前</em> 在 休假 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn gānggāng huílái, <em>zhīqián</em> zài xiūjià.</span><span class="trans">The boss just came back. He was on vacation before.</span>
*我们 都 不知道 ,他 <em>之前</em> 什么 也 没 说 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào, tā <em>zhīqián</em> shénme yě méi shuō.</span><span class="trans">None of us know. He didn't say anything before.</span>
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*我们 都 不 知道 ,他 <em>之前</em> 什么 也 没 说 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào, tā <em>zhīqián</em> shénme yě méi shuō.</span><span class="trans">None of us knew. He didn't say anything before.</span>
*我 现在 去 吃饭 ,<em>之后</em> 去 见 客户 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài qù chīfàn, <em>zhīhòu</em> qù jiàn kèhù.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to eat now. After that I will go to meet a client.</span>
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*我 现在 去 吃饭 ,<em>之后</em> 去 见 客户 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài qù chīfàn, <em>zhīhòu</em> qù jiàn kèhù.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to eat now. After that I will go meet a client.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== Slight Differences between 之前/之后 and 以前/以后 ==
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One difference between the two pairs is that 之前/之后 feel more formal simply because they contain [[之]], which is a word common in classical Chinese. Both words are still used in everyday spoken Chinese, however.
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In addition, while all four words can mean "before and "after" (referring to time), 之前/之后 also sometimes mean "in front of" or "behind," referring to physical location. (以前/以后 aren't used in this way, but the single characters 前/后 are.) We haven't included examples of the "physical location" usage here, because it's less common and more formal.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
 
[[Category:Time]]
 
[[Category:Time]]
 
{{Similar|"(Ever) Since" with "(zi)cong"}}
 
{{Similar|"(Ever) Since" with "(zi)cong"}}

Latest revision as of 08:40, 24 April 2019

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), but are slightly more formal.

Used at the End of a Phrase

In this pattern, 之前 and 之后 come at the start of a sentence, right after mention of some kind of event or thing that happened.

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 hěn yībān.Before I came to China, my Chinese was really mediocre.
  • 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 kàn diànyǐng ba?What about going to the movies after eating 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 lessons every day after school.

Used as a Time Word

In this pattern, 之前 and 之后 usually come at the start of a phrase, in the middle of a sentence.

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 university 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 ,之前 在 休假 。Lǎobǎn gānggāng huílái, zhīqián zài xiūjià.The boss just came back. 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 knew. 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 meet a client.

Slight Differences between 之前/之后 and 以前/以后

One difference between the two pairs is that 之前/之后 feel more formal simply because they contain , which is a word common in classical Chinese. Both words are still used in everyday spoken Chinese, however.

In addition, while all four words can mean "before and "after" (referring to time), 之前/之后 also sometimes mean "in front of" or "behind," referring to physical location. (以前/以后 aren't used in this way, but the single characters 前/后 are.) We haven't included examples of the "physical location" usage here, because it's less common and more formal.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books