after
after — 介系詞
1. later than a particular time, event, or person; behind someone or something in a
在…之後
表示時間、順序或位置在某人/某事之後
later than a particular time, event, or person; behind someone or something in a line, list, or order
The children went to the park after lunch and played on the swings.
孩子們在午餐後去公園盪鞦韆。
temporal: after + noun phrase
Bao comes after Amani on the list because B comes after A in the alphabet.
Bao 排在 Amani 之後，因為 B 在字母順序上排在 A 之後。
order: after + noun phrase indicating sequence
We left the restaurant right after the rain started pouring outside.
我們在開始下大雨之後就離開了餐廳。
Shanti locked the front door after her roommate had already left for work.
Shanti 在室友出門上班之後鎖上了大門。
A full hour after the bell rang, Selim was still working on his exam paper.
鈴聲響了整整一小時後，Selim 還在繼續作答他的考卷。
- following
slightly more formal; 'following the meeting' vs 'after the meeting'
- subsequent to
very formal, used mainly in legal or academic writing
- before
earlier than a time or event
常見錯誤
2. used when judging a situation based on everything that has happened or all the f
考量到
考慮所有情況後做出判斷
used when judging a situation based on everything that has happened or all the facts involved
After all her hard work, Diya was disappointed not to get the scholarship.
考量到她的努力，Diya 對沒拿到獎學金感到失望。
considering: after all + [noun phrase]
After everything that went wrong at the start, it was still a lovely holiday.
考量到一開始發生的那些問題，這趟假期其實還算不錯。
After the way Tuan treated his colleagues, I am not surprised no one invited him.
考量到 Tuan 對同事的態度，沒有人邀請他，我一點也不意外。
After what Diya told me about the hotel, I decided to book a different one.
考量到 Diya 跟我說的那家旅館的情況，我決定訂別家。
- given
more direct; 'given the circumstances' vs 'after everything that happened'
用法筆記
Often followed by a noun phrase starting with 'all', 'everything', 'the way', or 'what' to summarise a set of circumstances before giving a judgment.
3. as a direct result of a particular event or situation that has already happened
因為
因為某事件而導致某種結果
as a direct result of a particular event or situation that has already happened
After the earthquake, many families decided to move away from the coastal area.
因為餘震不斷，許多家庭決定搬離沿海地區。
causal: after + [event/incident]
After what happened at the last meeting, no one fully trusts the new manager.
因為上次會議發生的事，沒有人完全信任那位新經理了。
After the flood destroyed their home, the village received help from the government.
因為洪水摧毀了他們的家園，村莊獲得了政府的援助。
After Mauricio's public apology, his partner agreed to meet him for coffee the next week.
因為 Mauricio 公開道歉，他的伴侶同意下週跟他見面喝咖啡。
- because of
more general cause-and-effect; 'because of the rain' vs 'after the rain' (which implies the rain happened first)
- as a result of
more formal, makes the causal link explicit
用法筆記
Unlike 'because of', this sense of 'after' assumes the event actually happened and then caused something else. The event noun is often dramatic or significant — an accident, crisis, disaster, or major change.
4. trying to find, catch, or get someone or something
尋找
試圖找到、抓住或得到某人/某物
trying to find, catch, or get someone or something
The police are after a man who stole a wallet from the train station.
警方正在追捕一名在火車站偷錢包的男人。
common phrase: 'be after [someone/something]'
Mira went after her brother to give him the lunch he left on the table.
Mira 追出去找她弟弟，把留在廚房桌上的午餐拿給他。
Heather has been after a promotion at work for almost two years now.
Heather 為了升職已經爭取將近兩年了。
The cat ran after a mouse that dashed quickly under the wooden fence.
那隻貓追著一隻老鼠，老鼠迅速鑽到木籬笆底下。
The journalist was after a story about corruption in the city council.
那位記者正在追查一則關於市議會貪腐的報導。
Caleb ran after the ice-cream truck but could not catch up with it.
Caleb 追著冰淇淋車跑，但還是追不上。
- in search of
more formal; used especially for information or missing items
- seeking
more formal and broader in scope
用法筆記
Common in the pattern 'be after' (stative — wanting something) or with movement verbs like 'go', 'come', 'run', 'chase' (active pursuit). The object can be a person, thing, or abstract goal.
5. a courteous phrase said to invite another person to go first, for instance when
先請
禮貌地讓別人先做某事
a courteous phrase said to invite another person to go first, for instance when entering a room or joining a line
'After you,' said Ilan, holding the heavy door open for the elderly woman.
「您先請，」Ilan 一邊說著，一邊為老太太拉開厚重的大門。
fixed polite phrase: 'After you'
The man at the counter smiled and said 'After you' to let Nkechi order first.
櫃檯前的男人微笑著說「您先請」，讓 Nkechi 先點餐。
At a crossing, Henrik waved a cyclist through and said 'After you' with a smile.
在路口，Henrik 揮手讓單車騎士先過，微笑著說了聲「您先請」。
Aminata stood back at the narrow doorway and said 'After you' to the older man.
Aminata 在狹窄的門口退了一步，對那位年長男子說「您先請」。
- please go ahead
more explicit instruction rather than a fixed polite phrase
文法句型
After you
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed expression 'After you' in face-to-face polite interactions. Not used in writing or for situations involving strict queues or rules.
6. in a way that copies or is typical of a particular person, artist, or tradition
仿效
模仿某人的風格或方式
in a way that copies or is typical of a particular person, artist, or tradition
The new library was designed after the old stone churches of northern Italy.
那座新圖書館的設計仿效了義大利北部的古老石造教堂。
pattern: designed/made/modelled after [model]
Isabela paints after the style of the French Impressionists, with soft brush strokes.
Isabela 仿效法國印象派的風格作畫，筆觸柔和。
The chocolate cake was made after a traditional recipe from São Paulo.
這款巧克力蛋糕是依照巴西聖保羅的傳統食譜製作的。
Mayor Otis's speech was modelled after the great addresses of Martin Luther King Jr.
Otis 市長的演說模仿了馬丁·路德·金恩博士的偉大演講風格。
- in the manner of
more formal; used especially in art and literature criticism
- à la
borrowed from French; informal and often used in food or fashion contexts
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'designed', 'modelled', 'made', 'painted', or 'copied' to show the source of inspiration. Not used for simple imitation without intention, such as a child copying a sibling's behaviour.
7. given a name that matches someone else's, usually to show respect or continue a
以…命名
以某人或某事物的名字取名以表敬意
given a name that matches someone else's, usually to show respect or continue a family tradition
Amani was named after her grandmother, who was a famous doctor in Seoul.
Amani 以祖母的名字命名，她的祖母是首爾一位著名的醫生。
pattern: named after [person]
The park is named after a local hero who saved three children from a fire.
這座公園以一位從火災中救出三名兒童的地方英雄命名。
Jenna and Kian called their son Gabriel after the angel in the old family Bible.
Jenna 和 Kian 給兒子取名 Gabriel，取自家傳舊聖經中的天使之名。
The street was named after the poet who grew up in the neighbourhood in 1920.
這條街以一位在該社區長大的詩人命名，那是 1920 年的事了。
- named for
preferred in American English; identical meaning
文法句型
named after [person/thing]
用法筆記
In American English, 'named for' is more common than 'named after'. This sense often appears in passive constructions.
after — 副詞
1. following in time; at a moment that comes after another event or person
之後
在另一件事之後發生的時間
following in time; at a moment that comes after another event or person
Henry arrived at the party at eight, and his sister came soon after.
Henry 八點到派對，他妹妹隨後也來了。
position: verb + after at end of clause
The company was founded in 1995, and the website launched a few years after.
這間公司成立於 1995 年，網站則在幾年後上線。
Mayumi graduated from university in June and moved to Japan not long after.
Mayumi 六月從大學畢業，不久之後就搬到日本了。
The first film was a huge success, and the sequel came out six months after.
第一部電影大獲成功，續集在六個月後上映。
- before
at an earlier time
用法筆記
As an adverb, 'after' is NOT followed by a noun. Compare: 'He left after dinner' (preposition) vs 'He left soon after' (adverb). Common with modifiers like 'soon', 'right', 'shortly', 'not long'.
常見錯誤
after — 形容詞
- afterpositive
- afterercomparative
- afterestsuperlative
1. located at or near the back part of a ship, aircraft, or similar vehicle
後部的
位於船或飛機後方的
located at or near the back part of a ship, aircraft, or similar vehicle
The captain's cabin is in the after part of the ship, near the steering room.
船長的艙房在船的後部，靠近舵房。
nautical: after part of a ship
Passengers on the after deck enjoyed the sunset over the ocean.
後甲板上的乘客欣賞著海面上的夕陽。
The plane's after cargo hold was loaded with luggage bound for Singapore.
飛機的後貨艙裝滿了要運往新加坡的行李。
The crew members sleep in cabins located in the after section of the vessel.
船員們睡在位於船隻後段的艙房裡。
- fore
located at the front of a ship or aircraft
用法筆記
This sense is restricted to nautical and aviation contexts. In everyday English, 'rear' or 'back' is used instead. The opposite of 'after' (adj) is 'fore' or 'forward'.
常見錯誤
after — 連接詞
1. at or during a time later than a particular event or action; once something has
隨後
引導時間子句，表示某事件之後
at or during a time later than a particular event or action; once something has finished
After she finished her homework, Noa watched a movie with her little brother.
Noa 做完功課後，跟弟弟一起看電影。
time clause: after + subject + past tense verb
Please call me after you arrive at the bus station in Taipei.
你抵達台北巴士站之後請打電話給我。
present tense in after-clause for future time
After the rain stopped, Amani and her friends went outside to play basketball.
雨停之後，Amani 和朋友們到外面打籃球。
I felt much better after I had taken the medicine the doctor gave me.
我吃了醫生給的藥之後感覺好多了。
After Trang completes the training course, she will start working at the hospital.
Trang 完成培訓課程之後，將開始在醫院工作。
- before
at a time earlier than an event
文法句型
after + subject + verb
用法筆記
In time clauses with 'after', use the present tense (not future) for future events: 'after I arrive' (not 'after I will arrive'). The past perfect ('had + past participle') emphasises that the first action was completed before the second.