<p>Chinese has a number of <strong>post-positions （后置介词）</strong>, instead of pre-position in English. But I have not seen an expert using this term. </p>

<p>A preposition or post-position （介词） is a word that requests a noun （介词宾语） to form a phrase （介词短语）. This <strong>phrase</strong> could be used as an adverb （介词短语作状语）.</p>

<p>For example, </p>

<p>(1) 他们是<strong>工厂的</strong>工人. They are workers <strong>of the factory</strong>. </p>

<p>(2) <strong>桌子上</strong>有一本书. There is a book <strong>on the table</strong>. </p>

<p>In English, for the phrase "of the factory", "of" is positioned before "the factory"; therefore, it is called a preposition.</p>

<p>In Chinese, for the phrase "工厂的", "的" is positioned after "工厂"; therefore, it should be, I think, called a post-position.</p>

<p>In your question, for the phrase "回家以后", "回家" is a noun, which is formed from the verb "回" and its object "家". "以后" is a post-position. It is not an adverb here because it requests the noun "回家".</p>

<p>"以后” can be used as an adverb by itself. For example, 我<strong>以后</strong>会还给你钱. I will give you money back <strong>later</strong>.</p>

<p>There is another example in which "然后" is used as a conjunction to connect two sentences:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我回家，然后会给你打电话。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>These are just my two cents. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-07T18:16:08.373Z
How is this related to the question?
flaudre
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-07T18:10:12.290Z
2015-05-08T11:02:47.850Z
2015-05-08T11:02:47.850Z
PdotWang
<p>I think "after returning home" is an <a href="http://www.taiwantestcentral.com/Grammar/Title.aspx?ID=115" rel="nofollow">adverb phrase</a>. "After" is the preposition as you said. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-08T00:12:38.910Z
The link is about adverb phrase in English. Though there's similarity with 状语 in Chinese but there are a lot of differences and the two concepts should not be confused.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-07T18:49:16.087Z
2015-05-07T18:49:16.087Z
ccyang
<p>I can't find a resource to cite from, but here's what I know.</p>
<p>In some grammar textbooks, whether Chinese or English, words like this are referred to as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prepositional_adverb" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>Prepositional Adverb</strong></a>, or words that are <em>very similar in its form to a preposition but functions as an adverb</em>.</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>EDIT</strong></p>
<p>I am not certain about this, but some say that 以後（后） is one of the <strong>post-positions</strong>, which corresponds to prepositions in English.</p>
<hr />
<p>Consider 以後/after in the following sentences:</p>
<ul>
<li>以後(after) as a preposition.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>好了以後，記得打給我。</p>
<p>Call me after(when) you're done.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>&quot;After&quot; as an adverb.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>I will arrive soon after.</p>
<p>我馬上到。</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>以後 as an adverb. (?)</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>以後，我會再打給你。</p>
<p>In the future, I will call you again.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-07T22:56:00.497Z
for references to ＂prepositional adverb＂ may search Internet （i。p。note first ２ results）， it seems answer＃１ confirms that in the title example 以后 functions as ＂post－position＂ （corresponding to preposition in English， not as prepositional adverb which still is just a particular type of adverb, for examples in European languages see Internet）
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-08T14:42:58.597Z
Some users may feel that "adverb"（副词） in answer #1 would usually be called "adverbial" or "adverbial adjunct" (状语）and ＂以后＂ is a locality phrase （方位词组），which is used as adverbial。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-07T20:36:08.920Z
2015-05-08T00:51:46.943Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Thomas Hsieh
<p>My question is as titled. Per my understanding the "以后" in "回家以后", "从此以后", etc. is a preposition. So I am surprised the textbook says 以后 is an adverb here. Can anyone find a grammar book, dictionary, or any kind of documents to prove the textbook is correct?  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-07T18:18:13.763Z
I think your textbook is wrong. No way this could be an adverb.
flaudre
<grammar><vocabulary>
Is the word "以后" in "回家以后" an adverb?
# Is the word "以后" in "回家以后" an adverb?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-07)

My question is as titled. Per my understanding the "以后" in "回家以后", "从此以后", etc. is a preposition. So I am surprised the textbook says 以后 is an adverb here. Can anyone find a grammar book, dictionary, or any kind of documents to prove the textbook is correct?

**Tags:** grammar, vocabulary

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I think your textbook is wrong. No way this could be an adverb.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-05-07. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

I can't find a resource to cite from, but here's what I know.

In some grammar textbooks, whether Chinese or English, words like this are referred to as a [**Prepositional Adverb**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prepositional_adverb), or words that are *very similar in its form to a preposition but functions as an adverb*.

---

**EDIT**

I am not certain about this, but some say that 以後（后） is one of the **post-positions**, which corresponds to prepositions in English.

---

Consider 以後/after in the following sentences:

* 以後(after) as a preposition.

> 好了以後，記得打給我。
>
> Call me after(when) you're done.

* "After" as an adverb.

> I will arrive soon after.
>
> 我馬上到。

* 以後 as an adverb. (?)

> 以後，我會再打給你。
>
> In the future, I will call you again.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: for references to ＂prepositional adverb＂ may search Internet （i。p。note first ２ results）， it seems answer＃１ confirms that in the title example 以后 functions as ＂post－position＂ （corresponding to preposition in English， not as prepositional adverb which still is just a particular type of adverb, for examples in European languages see Internet）  
> **username_6**: Some users may feel that "adverb"（副词） in answer #1 would usually be called "adverbial" or "adverbial adjunct" (状语）and ＂以后＂ is a locality phrase （方位词组），which is used as adverbial。  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-05-07. Score: 2

Chinese has a number of **post-positions （后置介词）**, instead of pre-position in English. But I have not seen an expert using this term.

A preposition or post-position （介词） is a word that requests a noun （介词宾语） to form a phrase （介词短语）. This **phrase** could be used as an adverb （介词短语作状语）.

For example,

(1) 他们是**工厂的**工人. They are workers **of the factory**.

(2) **桌子上**有一本书. There is a book **on the table**.

In English, for the phrase "of the factory", "of" is positioned before "the factory"; therefore, it is called a preposition.

In Chinese, for the phrase "工厂的", "的" is positioned after "工厂"; therefore, it should be, I think, called a post-position.

In your question, for the phrase "回家以后", "回家" is a noun, which is formed from the verb "回" and its object "家". "以后" is a post-position. It is not an adverb here because it requests the noun "回家".

"以后” can be used as an adverb by itself. For example, 我**以后**会还给你钱. I will give you money back **later**.

There is another example in which "然后" is used as a conjunction to connect two sentences:

> 我回家，然后会给你打电话。

These are just my two cents.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How is this related to the question?  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-05-07. Score: 0

I think "after returning home" is an [adverb phrase](http://www.taiwantestcentral.com/Grammar/Title.aspx?ID=115). "After" is the preposition as you said.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: The link is about adverb phrase in English. Though there's similarity with 状语 in Chinese but there are a lot of differences and the two concepts should not be confused.  

---

