exPreSSiNG SeqUeNCe
42.242.2.2.3 便 biàn
便 biàn, like 就 jiù, is used to reinforce a relationship of sequence between two events.
每天一下课他便到图书馆去工作。
每天一下課他便到圖書館去工作。
Měitiān yī xià kè tā biàn dào túshūguǎn qù gōngzuò.
Every day, as soon as he gets out of class he goes to the library to work.
便 biàn is largely restricted to formal, literary contexts.
自从毕业以后，我们便没有来往。
自從畢業以後，我們便沒有來往。
Zìcóng bìyè yǐhòu, wǒmen biàn méi yǒu láiwǎng.
Since we’ve graduated, we haven’t had any contact.42.2.3 indicating sequence with perfective 了 le
Like the adverbs 就 jiù, 才 cái, and 便 biàn, the verb suffix 了 le can be used to signal a
relationship of sequence between two events. 了 le is optional, but when it occurs, it normally
follows the first verb in a series of verb phrases. Notice that 就 jiù or 才 cái often occurs with
了 le and 以后/以後 yǐhòu in sequence sentences that indicate the relationship ‘after.’她买了照相机以后就照了很多照片。
她買了照相機以後就照了很多照片。
Tā mǎi le zhàoxiàngjī yǐhòu jiù zhào le hěn duō zhàopiàn.
After she bought a camera, she took a lot of pictures.
我做完了功课以后才睡觉。
我做完了功課以後才睡覺。
Wǒ zuòwán le gōngkè yǐhòu cái shuì jiào.
Only after I finish my homework will I go to sleep.
(I will finish my homework and only then go to sleep.)Follow the guidelines for the placement of perfective 了 le presented in Chapter 17.
C17.1.1.1, 37.242.2.4 indicating ‘after’ in a single sentence: a summary of the use of
以后/以後 yHhòu, 了 le, and sequence adverbs
- 以后/以後 yǐhòu, 了 le, and sequence adverbs all signal a sequence of events within
a single sentence. - Sequence sentences can contain any combination of 以后/以後 yǐhòu, 了 le, and sequence
adverbs. - None of these markers of sequence is obligatory, and native speakers of Mandarin differ
in their preferences in using them. - Events that are related in terms of sequence need not have any of these sequence markers.
我每天下课回家。
我每天下課回家。
Wǒ měitiān xià kè huí jiā.
Every day, after I get out of class I return home.
(Every day I get out of class and return home.)