Sequence – 然後 ránhòu, 後來 hòulái and 以後 yǐhòu

然後后 ránhòu – then / and then / after that

Used to connect actions in sequence, 然後后 ránhòu is very common in spoken Chinese and expresses a neutral, chronological order of events.

我wǒ先xiān洗澡xǐzǎo，然後ránhòu睡覺shuìjiào我wǒ先xiān洗澡xǐzǎo，然后ránhòu睡觉shuìjiào
I’ll shower first, then go to bed.

他tā吃chī完wán飯fàn，然後ránhòu去qù上班shàngbān他tā吃chī完wán饭fàn，然后ránhòu去qù上班shàngbān
He ate and then went to work.

昨天zuótiān我wǒ去qù超市chāoshì，然後ránhòu遇到yùdào我wǒ前男友qiánnányǒu昨天zuótiān我wǒ去qù超市chāoshì，然后ránhòu遇到yùdào我wǒ前男友qiánnányou
Yesterday I went to the supermarket and then ran into my ex.

後后來来 hòulái – later / afterwards (in the story, later on)

後后來来 hòulái is used to describe what happened later in time; it is often used in storytelling and has a more narrative feel than 然後后 ránhòu.

我們wǒmen大學dàxué認識rènshì，後來hòulái結婚jiéhūn了le我们wǒmen大学dàxué认识rènshi，后来hòulái结婚jiéhūn了le
We met in college and later got married.

一開始yìkāishǐ我wǒ不bù喜歡xǐhuān這zhè份fèn工作gōngzuò，後來hòulái慢慢mànmān習慣xíguàn了le一开始yìkāishǐ我wǒ不bù喜欢xǐhuan这zhè份fèn工作gōngzuò，后来hòulái慢慢mànmān习惯xíguàn了le
At first I didn’t like the job, but later I got used to it.

他tā原本yuánběn不bù同意tóngyì，後來hòulái改變gǎibiàn主意zhǔyì他tā原本yuánběn不bù同意tóngyì，后来hòulái改变gǎibiàn主意zhǔyì
He originally disagreed, but later changed his mind.

以後后 yǐhòu – after / from now on / in the future

以後后 yǐhòu refers to time after a certain point, is often future-oriented, and can also mean “after (doing something).”

以後yǐhòu別bié遲到chídào了le以后yǐhòu别bié迟到chídào了le
Don’t be late from now on.

吃chī完wán飯fàn以後yǐhòu再說zàishuō吃chī完wán饭fàn以后yǐhòu再说zàishuō
Let’s talk after we eat.

下班xiàbān以後yǐhòu我wǒ去qù健身jiànshēn下班xiàbān以后yǐhòu我wǒ去qù健身jiànshēn
After work, I go to the gym.

2025年nián2025年nián以後yǐhòu中文zhōngwén老師lǎoshī沒méi工作gōngzuò了le以后yǐhòu中文zhōngwén老师lǎoshī没méi工作gōngzuò了le
After 2025, the Chinese teacher won’t have a job.
(以後 yǐhòu is the only one of the three that can have a time expression placed)

Comparison

Word	Meaning	Feeling	Time Gap
然後后 ránhòu	then	step-by-step	immediate
後后來来 hòulái	later	narrative / storytelling	gap possible
以後后 yǐhòu	after / in the future	reference point based	future-oriented

我們wǒmen大學dàxué畢業bìyè以後yǐhòu在zài同一tóngyì家jiā公司gōngsī工作gōngzuò，然後ránhòu就jiù開始kāishǐ約會yuēhuì，後來hòulái就jiù決定juédìng結婚jiéhūn了le我们wǒmen大学dàxué毕业bìyè以后yǐhòu在zài同一tóngyì家jiā公司gōngsī工作gōngzuò，然后ránhòu就jiù开始kāishǐ约会yuēhuì，后来hòulái就jiù决定juédìng结婚jiéhūn了le
After we graduated from university, we worked at the same company. Then we started dating, and later on, we decided to get married.