hau6 lai4後嚟后嚟
Jyutpinghau6 lai4
Yalehauh làih
Definition
Afterwards; later; after a certain point in time.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Use this to describe a sequence of events where a change or a specific outcome occurs after an initial situation. It functions as a temporal adverb that connects a past event to a subsequent development. Unlike the more formal 之後, this carries a narrative feel, often implying that the later event is a result of or a contrast to what happened before.
Examples
He moved to live in Kowloon afterwards.
How did you resolve this matter later on?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to the future, such as saying 'see you later'. It is strictly for narrating events that have already taken place in the past.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
