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Expressing "successively" or "one after another" with 先后 (xiānhòu)
Sequence & Order
Time Expressions
Structure
Subject + 先后 + Verb + Object₁ + 和 + Object₂
Explanation
The adverb 先后 (xiānhòu) means "successively," "one after another," or "in sequence." It indicates that multiple events happened in order, one following the other. For example, 先后击败了德国和法国 means "defeated Germany and France one after another."
Examples
她先后在北京和上海工作过。
Tā xiānhòu zài Běijīng hé Shànghǎi gōngzuò guò.
She has worked in Beijing and Shanghai successively.
他先后获得了硕士和博士学位。
Tā xiānhòu huòdé le shuòshì hé bóshì xuéwèi.
He successively obtained his master's and doctoral degrees.
这支球队先后击败了三个强劲的对手。
Zhè zhī qiúduì xiānhòu jībài le sān gè qiángjìng de duìshǒu.
This team successively defeated three formidable opponents.
Similar Grammar
- Sequencing past events with 后来 (hòulái)HSK 3
- Expressing subsequent action with 随后 (suíhòu)
- Expressing "one after another" with 纷纷 (fēnfēn)
- Expressing 'then' or 'next' with 接着 (jiēzhe)
- Expressing "one after another" with 陆续 (lùxù)
- Using 相继 (xiāngjì) to express "one after another"
- Using 先后 (xiānhòu) to express "one after another"