Word · CEFR A1 · Frequency #279
later
之后；后来；较晚
Afterward in time; at a time following something else.
常与 than 连用，表示“比……晚”。
- 1.
Afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time).
后来；以后(与 than 连用表示比较另一时间)
- 2.
At some unspecified time in the future.
在将来某个未指明的时间
以后；日后；将来；后来；以后(与 than 连用表示比较另一时间)；在将来某个未指明的时间；以后；随后
In use
I will finish my homework later.
We had dinner, and later we watched a movie.
She arrived later than expected.
Connections
Idioms & figurative uses
- sooner or later
- 迟早，总有一天Sooner or later, you'll have to face the truth.迟早你得面对真相。
- later on
- 后来，以后We can discuss the details later on.我们以后再讨论细节。
- see you later
- 回头见，再见I have to go now — see you later!我现在得走了——回头见！
Pop culture & quotes
- See you later, alligator!
- 回头见，短吻鳄！Popular farewell catchphrase from the 1956 song 'See You Later, Alligator' by Bill Haley & His Comets.来自比尔·哈利与彗星合唱团1956年歌曲《See You Later, Alligator》的流行告别语。
- See you later, space cowboy.
- 回头见，太空牛仔。Spike Spiegel's iconic goodbye in the anime 'Cowboy Bebop'.动画《星际牛仔》中斯派克·斯皮格尔的标志性告别语。
Synonyms
Learner notes
Memory Tip
late 是“迟”，加上 r 就像时间往后挪一步，所以 later 是“后来/以后”。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：日常对话与叙述、时间比较（与 than 连用）、约定将来某个未定时间 “later”作副词表示“后来、以后”或“将来的某个未定时间”，通常属于中性语域：在日常口语和一般书面语中都很自然，多用于叙述先后、时间比较或安排将来事项。
Grammar Note
是 late 的比较级，常指未来的某个时间。
Pronunciation & Spelling
与 later /ˈleɪtə/ 押韵的词：greater /ˈɡreɪtə/、waiter /ˈweɪtə/、traitor /ˈtreɪtə/、crater /ˈkreɪtə/、skater /ˈskeɪtə/，都以 /eɪtə/ 结尾。注意：latter /ˈlætə/ 拼写很像，但元音是 /æ/，不押韵；latest /ˈleɪtɪst/ 也易混淆，但结尾是 /tɪst/，不押韵。
High-value vocabulary
该词属于 Oxford 核心词汇，值得优先掌握常见搭配和句型。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 5，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.