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Expressing 'then' or 'afterwards' with 然后 (ránhòu)
Connecting Ideas
Sequence & Order
Structure
Clause 1 + 然后 + Clause 2
Explanation
然后 (ránhòu) is a conjunction meaning "then" or "afterwards." It connects two sequential actions or events, indicating the second occurs after the first. For example, 然后他摘了一个小橘子 means "then he picked a small tangerine."
Examples
我们先吃饭，然后去看电影。
Wǒmen xiān chīfàn, ránhòu qù kàn diànyǐng.
Let's eat first, and then go see a movie.
他洗了手，然后开始做饭。
Tā xǐ le shǒu, ránhòu kāishǐ zuòfàn.
He washed his hands and then started cooking.
先把作业写完，然后你就可以出去玩了。
Xiān bǎ zuòyè xiě wán, ránhòu nǐ jiù kěyǐ chūqù wán le.
Finish your homework first, and then you can go out and play.