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

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Before and after can be expressed using 之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu). They are in relatively the same vein as 以前/以后, except that these two are adverbs, while 之前/之后 is a preposition. Don't forget that these two are talking about before and after in terms of time.

Structure

Event + 之前/之后

Examples

  • 下班之前,经理给我们开了一个会议。Xiàbān zhīqián, jīnglǐ gěi wǒmen kāi le yī gè huìyì.Before I got off work,the manager assembled a meeting with us.
  • 来 中国 之前 ,我 的 汉语 水平 很 差。Lái Zhōngguó zhīqián, wǒ de Hànyǔ shuǐpíng hěn chà.Before I came to China, my Chinese was bad.
  • 吃 完 饭 之后 ,他们 去 了 一家 电影院。Chī wán fàn zhīhòu, tāmen qù le yī jiā diànyǐngyuàn.After they finished eating, they went to a movie theater.
  • 去 北京 之后 ,他 和 他的 女朋友 分手了。Qù Běijīng zhīhòu, tā hé tā de nǚ péngyǒu fēnshǒu le.After he went to Beijing, he broke up with his girlfriend.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books