How to say “later” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
待 is read dāi (first tone) here, not dài, and 会儿 is one syllable with the curled-r ending. 待会儿 means 'later today, in a bit'. For 'later on / in the future' use 以后 (yǐhòu), and for 'later' in a story use 后来 (hòulái).
In a sentence
Wǒ dāihuìr zài gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.
I'll call you back later.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "later" in Chinese?+
"later" in Mandarin Chinese is 待会儿, pronounced dāihuìr. 待 is read dāi (first tone) here, not dài, and 会儿 is one syllable with the curled-r ending. 待会儿 means 'later today, in a bit'. For 'later on / in the future' use 以后 (yǐhòu), and for 'later' in a story use 后来 (hòulái).
What does 待会儿 mean literally?+
待会儿 breaks down as 待 (dāi) = to stay / wait, 会儿 (huìr) = a short while. Together it means "later".
How do I get the tones right in dāihuìr?+
待 is read dāi (first tone) here, not dài, and 会儿 is one syllable with the curled-r ending. 待会儿 means 'later today, in a bit'. For 'later on / in the future' use 以后 (yǐhòu), and for 'later' in a story use 后来 (hòulái).
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