What is the difference between 以后 and 后来?
以后 means after or later, for the future or the past, and can follow a time or an event: 下班以后, 三年以后, 以后我想去中国. 后来 means afterwards and is only used to tell what happened next in a past story; it stands on its own at the start of a clause: 后来我们成了好朋友. You cannot say 下班后来.
| 以后 | after X, from now on, later (past or future): 吃饭以后, 以后见 |
|---|---|
| 后来 | afterwards, in a past story: 后来他搬走了 |
以后 yǐhòu
From the readings on this site
- 他听了以后，就不看手机了。After he heard that, he stopped looking at his phone.HSK 2 · 别玩手机了
- 一个小时以后，衣服都洗好了。An hour later, all the clothes were washed.HSK 2 · 洗衣服
- 下班以后，我坐公共汽车回家。After work, I take the bus home.HSK 2 · 我累了
后来 hòulái
From the readings on this site
- 后来，我在教室忘了带同学的书。Afterward, at school I forgot to bring my classmate's book.HSK 2 · 没关系
- 后来，我在沙发下面找到了手机。Later, I found the phone under the sofa.HSK 2 · 左边右边
- 后来，我们一起做完了那些事情。Afterward, we got through all of it together.HSK 2 · 没问题