后天

hòu tiān

day after tomorrow

HSK Level 1

Example Sentences

明天是星期一,后天是星期二。

míngtiān shì xīngqīyī, hòutiān shì xīngqī'èr.

Tomorrow is Monday, the day after tomorrow is Tuesday.

我后天要去北京。

wǒ hòutiān yào qù běijīng.

I will go to Beijing the day after tomorrow.

后天是周末,我们可以去公园玩。

hòutiān shì zhōumò, wǒmen kěyǐ qù gōngyuán wán.

The day after tomorrow is the weekend, we can go to the park to play.

Synonyms

先天 (xiāntiān)

innate

后天 (hòutiān)

acquired

自然 (zìrán)

natural

Antonyms

先天 (xiāntiān)

innate

自然 (zìrán)

natural

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Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 后天 (hòutiān) is composed of two characters: 后 (hòu), meaning "after" or "later," and 天 (tiān), meaning "heaven" or "sky." Together, they literally mean "after heaven" or "later heaven."In Chinese philosophy, the term 后天 is used to refer to the postnatal environment and experiences that shape a person's character and development. It is contrasted with 先天 (xiāntiān), which refers to the innate qualities and predispositions that a person is born with.The concept of 后天 is based on the belief that a person's life is not entirely determined by their先天 qualities, but can also be influenced by their environment and experiences. This idea is reflected in the Chinese saying: "三分天注定,七分靠打拼" (sānfēn tiān zhùdìng, qīfēn kào dǎpìn), which means "three parts are determined by heaven, seven parts rely on hard work."In modern Chinese, the term 后天 is also used in a more general sense to refer to anything that happens after birth. For example, it can be used to talk about a person's education, career, or family life.