Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== dàhòutiān: 大后天 - The Day After the Day After Tomorrow / Three Days From Now ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** dàhòutiān, 大后天, three days from now in Chinese, dahoutian, Chinese words for future days, Chinese time words, day after the day after tomorrow, how to say three days later, 后天, HSK 3 vocabulary * **Summary:** Learn how to say "three days from now" in Chinese with the common term **大后天 (dàhòutiān)**. This entry breaks down the characters, explains the cultural logic behind Chinese time words, and provides dozens of practical examples. Understand the key difference between **大后天 (dàhòutiān)** and **三天后 (sān tiān hòu)** to schedule plans like a native speaker. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dàhòutiān * **Part of Speech:** Noun (Time Noun) * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 * **Concise Definition:** The day after the day after tomorrow; three days from today. * **In a Nutshell:** **大后天 (dàhòutiān)** is the specific, standard word for "three days from now." While English speakers switch to a phrase ("in three days") after "tomorrow," Chinese has a clear sequence of single words for the upcoming days: `今天` (today), `明天` (tomorrow), `后天` (the day after tomorrow), and `大后天` (three days from now). It's a fundamental word for making plans and scheduling. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **大 (dà):** Meaning "big," "large," or "great." In this context, it acts as a prefix to mean "one step further" or "beyond." * **后 (hòu):** Meaning "after," "back," or "behind." * **天 (tiān):** Meaning "day" or "sky." These characters combine logically. `后天 (hòutiān)` literally means "after-day," which is "the day after tomorrow." By adding `大 (dà)`, or "big," you get `大后天 (dàhòutiān)`, which can be thought of as "the big after-day"—the one that comes even after `后天`. It extends the sequence in a very intuitive way. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== The existence of **大后天 (dàhòutiān)** highlights a linguistic difference in how Chinese and English conceptualize the near future. English has specific words for today ("today") and the next day ("tomorrow"). For two days out, it often uses a descriptive phrase ("the day after tomorrow"), and for three days out, it defaults to a numerical phrase ("in three days," "three days from now"). Chinese, in contrast, uses a set of discrete, concrete nouns for a longer sequence: * `今天 (jīntiān)` - today * `明天 (míngtiān)` - tomorrow * `后天 (hòutiān)` - the day after tomorrow * `大后天 (dàhòutiān)` - three days from now This reflects a preference for specific, established terms for the immediate, plannable future. It's less about a deep philosophical value and more about a linguistic pattern that provides clarity and efficiency when discussing schedules. The symmetrical nature of this system is also seen when talking about the past, with `前天 (qiántiān)` (the day before yesterday) and `大前天 (dàqiántiān)` (three days ago). ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **大后天 (dàhòutiān)** is an extremely common, everyday word used in both spoken and written Chinese. * **Making Plans:** It's the default way to schedule an event three days into the future. You'll hear it constantly when people arrange dinners, meetings, or travel. * **Stating Deadlines:** It's used for setting short-term deadlines for work or school assignments. * **Formality:** The term is neutral and can be used in almost any situation, from a casual chat with friends to a formal business email. While `三天后 (sān tiān hòu)` ("three days later") also exists, `大后天` is often preferred when the reference point is clearly "today." If today is a Monday, **大后天** is always Thursday. It is a fixed point in time relative to the present day. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们**大后天**一起吃饭吧！ * Pinyin: Wǒmen **dàhòutiān** yīqǐ chīfàn ba! * English: Let's have a meal together three days from now! * Analysis: A classic example of making a casual social plan. * **Example 2:** * 他的生日是**大后天**，你准备礼物了吗？ * Pinyin: Tā de shēngrì shì **dàhòutiān**, nǐ zhǔnbèi lǐwù le ma? * English: His birthday is three days from now, have you prepared a gift? * Analysis: Using `大后天` to specify the date of an upcoming event. * **Example 3:** * 这份报告**大后天**必须交。 * Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàogào **dàhòutiān** bìxū jiāo. * English: This report must be handed in three days from now. * Analysis: Demonstrates its use for setting a firm deadline. * **Example 4:** * **大后天**的天气怎么样？ * Pinyin: **Dàhòutiān** de tiānqì zěnmeyàng? * English: What's the weather like three days from now? * Analysis: A common question when checking a weather forecast. * **Example 5:** * 我**大后天**要去上海出差。 * Pinyin: Wǒ **dàhòutiān** yào qù Shànghǎi chūchāi. * English: I'm going to Shanghai on a business trip in three days. * Analysis: Clearly stating a future travel plan. * **Example 6:** * 你能**大后天**下午三点来我办公室吗？ * Pinyin: Nǐ néng **dàhòutiān** xiàwǔ sān diǎn lái wǒ bàngōngshì ma? * English: Can you come to my office at 3 PM three days from now? * Analysis: Shows how `大后天` can be combined with a specific time of day. * **Example 7:** * 如果今天星期二，那**大后天**就是星期五。 * Pinyin: Rúguǒ jīntiān xīngqī'èr, nà **dàhòutiān** jiùshì xīngqīwǔ. * English: If today is Tuesday, then three days from now is Friday. * Analysis: A sentence that explicitly defines the term's meaning. * **Example 8:** * 别担心，包裹**大后天**就到了。 * Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, bāoguǒ **dàhòutiān** jiù dào le. * English: Don't worry, the package will arrive in three days. * Analysis: The particle `就 (jiù)` adds a sense of reassurance that it will arrive "as soon as" three days from now. * **Example 9:** * 电影票我已经买好了，是**大后天**晚上的。 * Pinyin: Diànyǐng piào wǒ yǐjīng mǎi hǎo le, shì **dàhòutiān** wǎnshang de. * English: I've already bought the movie tickets; they're for the evening three days from now. * Analysis: Used to confirm the timing of a pre-arranged activity. * **Example 10:** * 他说他**大后天**会给我们一个答复。 * Pinyin: Tā shuō tā **dàhòutiān** huì gěi wǒmen yī ge dáfù. * English: He said he would give us a reply in three days. * Analysis: Reporting what someone else has planned or promised. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`大后天 (dàhòutiān)` vs. `后天 (hòutiān)`:** This is the most common point of confusion. Remember the sequence: * `明天 (míngtiān)`: 1 day from now * `后天 (hòutiān)`: 2 days from now * `大后天 (dàhòutiān)`: 3 days from now * The `大 (dà)` adds one more day. * **`大后天 (dàhòutiān)` vs. `三天后 (sān tiān hòu)`:** This is a subtle but important difference. * **`大后天`** specifically means "the calendar day that is three days after **today**." Its reference point is always the present. * **`三天后 (sān tiān hòu)`** means "three days later" or "after three days." Its reference point can be any time, past or future. * **Correct Usage:** * 今天是星期一，我**大后天**去北京。(Today is Monday, I will go to Beijing on Thursday.) * 他上个星期一到的，**三天后**就走了。(He arrived last Monday and left three days later [on Thursday].) * **Incorrect Usage:** * //He arrived last Monday, and will leave three days from now (relative to today).// * //Incorrect:// 他上个星期一到的，**大后天**走。 * //Why it's wrong:// This sentence is confusing. It mixes a past reference ("last Monday") with a term (`大后天`) that is anchored to the present day. The listener won't know if the departure is three days after last Monday or three days from today. `三天后` is much clearer in this context. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **The "Today" Sequence (Past):** * [[大前天]] (dàqiántiān) - Three days ago; the day before the day before yesterday. * [[前天]] (qiántiān) - The day before yesterday. * [[昨天]] (zuótiān) - Yesterday. * **The "Today" Sequence (Present & Future):** * [[今天]] (jīntiān) - Today. * [[明天]] (míngtiān) - Tomorrow. * [[后天]] (hòutiān) - The day after tomorrow. * **Alternative and Related Expressions:** * [[三天后]] (sān tiān hòu) - Three days later; a more flexible term for a duration of three days. * [[三天以后]] (sān tiān yǐhòu) - A synonym for `三天后`, meaning "after three days." * [[星期]] (xīngqī) - Week; used to specify days like `下个星期一` (next Monday). * [[时间]] (shíjiān) - Time; the general, overarching concept.