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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing "after" with 后 (hòu)

    Sequence & Order
    Time Expressions

    Structure

    Time/Event + 后

    Explanation

    后 (hòu) means after or later and is used to indicate that something happens following a time point or event. It is placed after a time expression or event phrase, such as 四天后 (four days later) or 发生后 (after it happened).

    Examples

    • 下课后我们一起去吃饭吧。

      Xiàkè hòu wǒmen yìqǐ qù chīfàn ba.

      Let's go eat together after class.

    • 三年后，他终于回到了自己的家乡。

      Sān nián hòu, tā zhōngyú huídào le zìjǐ de jiāxiāng.

      Three years later, he finally returned to his hometown.

    • 手术后你需要好好休息至少两个星期。

      Shǒushù hòu nǐ xūyào hǎohāo xiūxi zhìshǎo liǎng ge xīngqī.

      After the surgery, you need to rest well for at least two weeks.

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    Expressing "after" with 后 (hòu) | Chinese Grammar