How common it is
后来 appears often in everyday Chinese, so it is worth practicing early and reviewing often.
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Pronunciation focus
Say hòu lái slowly first, then repeat it in a short phrase. Listen for the tone shape.
Usage note
后来用来表示时间上的先后顺序，通常放在句子中间或句尾。
hòu lái yòng lái bǎo shí shí jiān shàng de xiān hòu xùn sù, tōng cháng fàng zài jù zi zhōng jiān huò jù wǔ.
后来 is used to indicate the sequence of time, usually placed in the middle or at the end of a sentence.
Context note
后来常见于描述过去发生的事情，或者讲述未来将要发生的情况。
hòu lái jì cháng yú miáo shù guò qù fā shēng de shì qing, huò zhě shù jiǎn wèi jiào fāng kàng.
后来 is commonly found in describing past events or narrating future occurrences.
5 examples
后来我们去了公园。
hòu lái wǒ men qù le gōng yuán。
Later, we went to the park.
他后来才明白。
tā hòu lái cái míng bái。
He only understood later.
妈妈说后来会下雨。
mā ma shuō hòu lái huì xià yǔ。
Mom said it would rain later.
我们先吃饭，后来再看电影。
wǒ men xiān chī fàn， hòu lái zài kàn diàn yǐng。
We will eat first, and then watch a movie later.
他后来成了著名的作家。
tā hòu lái chéng le zhù míng de zuò jiā。
He became a famous writer later on.
5 mini stories
小明后来学会了游泳。他以前不会，但现在可以游得很好。
xiǎo míng hòu lái xué huì le yóu yǒng。 tā yǐ qián bú huì， dàn xiàn zài kě yǐ yóu dé hěn hǎo。
Xiao Ming learned to swim later. He couldn't before, but now he swims very well.
妈妈说周末会带我去公园玩。后来我们去了，玩得很开心。
mā mā shuō zhōu mò huì dài wǒ qù gōng yuán wán。 hòu lái wǒ men qù le， wán dé hěn kāi xīn。
Mom said she would take me to the park on the weekend. Later we went there and had a great time.
他后来才知道这件事的重要性。
tā hòu lái cái zhī dào zhè jiàn shì de zhòng yào xìng。
He only realized the importance of this later.
我们先吃了晚饭，后来一起去看电影。
wǒ men xiān chī le wǎn fàn， hòu lái yì qǐ qù kàn diàn yǐng。
We ate dinner first, and then watched a movie together.
他后来发现那个地方很好玩。
tā hòu lái fā xiàn nà ge dì fāng hěn hǎo wán。
He found that place very fun later on.