过后

• Pinyin: guò hòu
• Hanzi breakdown: 过 = 辶 (walk) + 寸 (inch), meaning to pass; 后 = originally 後, meaning after or behind

Meaning

Afterwards; later; after the event. Referring to the time following a particular event.

Used to indicate what happens or is done after something else. Common collocations: 事后 (after the event, in hindsight), 雨过后 (after the rain). More colloquial than 之后 or 以后, often used in spoken Chinese.

Examples

1. 吵架过后，他们谁也不肯先开口道歉。 After the argument, neither of them was willing to be the first to apologize.
2. 暴风雨过后，天空出现了一道美丽的彩虹。 After the storm passed, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.
3. 考试过后大家都松了一口气，约好一起出去庆祝。 After the exam, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and agreed to go out and celebrate together.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, narrative

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 过后再说吧。(Let's talk about it later.)
• 那件事过后他就变了一个人。(After that incident, he became a different person.)

Don't Say

• 在正式文件中用过后 (In formal documents, use 之后 or 此后 instead of the colloquial 过后)

Origin & History

Compound of 过 (pass) + 后 (after, behind). Indicates the time after something has passed.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal