Meaning
之后 is a very common time word meaning 'after' or 'afterwards'. It indicates that something happens subsequent to another event or time point. It can be used alone to mean 'afterwards' or with another time expression or clause before it to mean 'after [something]'.
Usage
之后 typically follows a time word, noun phrase, or verbal phrase to indicate sequence. For example: 三天之后 (after three days), 吃饭之后 (after eating). It's neutral in register and appears in both spoken and written Chinese. Native speakers often use it interchangeably with 以后 in many contexts, though 之后 sounds slightly more formal or literary.
Examples
- 01毕业之后，她去了上海工作。, .After graduating, she went to Shanghai to work.
- 02两个小时之后我们再见面吧。.Let's meet again in two hours.
Characters
Common collocations
- ...之后...after...
- 不久之后soon after, shortly afterwards
- 多年之后many years later
- 几天之后a few days later
Antonyms
Origin
之 is a classical Chinese particle often used to link elements, while 后 means 'behind' or 'after'. Together they form a literary-style compound meaning 'after that'.