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HSK 4 · VERSION 2.0#103

Comparing “yǐhòu” and “de shíhou”

以后 vs 的时候

yǐhòu vs de shíhou

How it works

Both words relate to time, but they describe different relationships.

The difference

以后 (yǐhòu) = after

的时候 (de shíhou) = when / during the time that

Example sentences

吃完饭以后我们去散步。

Chī wán fàn yǐhòu wǒmen qù sànbù.

After eating, we will go for a walk.

吃饭的时候不要看手机。

Chīfàn de shíhou búyào kàn shǒujī.

Do not look at your phone while eating.

他来中国以后进步很快。 / 我认识他的时候,他还不会说汉语。

Tā lái Zhōngguó yǐhòu jìnbù hěn kuài. / Wǒ rènshi tā de shíhou, tā hái bú huì shuō Hànyǔ.

After he came to China, he improved quickly. / When I met him, he still could not speak Chinese.

Key point

以后 (yǐhòu) focuses on what happens after a point. 的时候 (de shíhou) focuses on the time during which something happens.

Source: HelloMandarin · Revised edition, 2026 · PDF pp. 227–228.

Old_HSK_1-6_Grammar_Points_2.0.pdf

Old six-level teaching collection. This is an independent learning reference.

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