后来 (hòu lái) — afterwards; later in Mandarin
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#557 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
后来 is pronounced hòu lái. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Tā hòulái jiù búlái le.
Later he stopped coming.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 后来 mean?+
后来 (hòu lái) means "afterwards; later" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 后来?+
后来 is pronounced hòu lái. It uses the tone 4 (falling), then the tone 2 (rising). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 后来 in Mandarin?+
后来 is the #557 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 后来 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
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Why some tones change in connected speech.
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