Skip to content
HSK Training logo HSK Training
  1. Home
  2. Grammar Points
  3. Expressing "before" and "after" with 之前 "zhīqián" and 之后 ("zhīhòu")

Expressing "before" and "after" with 之前 "zhīqián" and 之后 ("zhīhòu")

之前 zhīqián

Grammar
HSK 3

Structure

Event + 之前 / 之后 ，⋯⋯ ⋯⋯ ，之前 / 之后 ⋯⋯

Translations

  • says 'before' or 'after' an event

Definition

之前表示在某个时间或事件之前；之后表示在某个时间或事件之后。

之前 (zhīqián) means before a certain time or event; 之后 (zhīhòu) means after a certain time or event.

Usage

这两个词通常放在名词、代词、动词短语或句子之后，表示时间顺序。例如：开会之前（before the meeting），下课之后（after class）。

These two words are typically placed after a noun, pronoun, verb phrase, or clause to indicate temporal sequence. For example: 开会之前 (before the meeting), 下课之后 (after class).

Examples

  • 1 吃饭之前要洗手。 (Wash your hands before eating.)
  • 2 下班之后我去健身房。 (I go to the gym after work.)
  • 3 考试之前，他复习了所有内容。 (Before the exam, he reviewed everything.)
  • 4 他们结婚之后搬到了上海。 (After they got married, they moved to Shanghai.)
  • 5 睡觉之前不要玩手机。 (Don't play with your phone before sleeping.)
View all HSK 3 grammar points

Put it into practice

Exam-style HSK drills with instant scoring and explanations.

Find my HSK level

Free · about 3 minutes · no account needed