后天 hòu tiān
“the day after tomorrow; life after birth (the period in which one develops through experiences, contrasted with 天); acquired (not innate or congenital)”
noun, time word2021 list level 1Traditional 後天
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
后天 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 673: 后天 hòutiān — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 96
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 后天
后天 is a time noun meaning “the day after tomorrow”; it usually appears at the start of a sentence or before the verb, and it can also follow prepositions in phrases like 从后天开始 or 定在后天. In formal or medical writing it can also mean “acquired (not innate)”, as opposed to 先天.
例句Example sentences
- 后天是我的生日，我打算请朋友吃饭。hòu tiān shì wǒ de shēng rì, wǒ dǎ suàn qǐng péng you chī fàn.The day after tomorrow is my birthday, and I plan to treat my friends to a meal.
- 明天和后天我都有考试，不能出去玩。míng tiān hé hòu tiān wǒ dōu yǒu kǎo shì, bù néng chū qù wán.I have exams both tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, so I can't go out.
- 后天下午三点我们在学校门口见。hòu tiān xià wǔ sān diǎn wǒ men zài xué xiào mén kǒu jiàn.Let's meet at the school gate at three o'clock the day after tomorrow.
易混词Easily confused
后天vs大后天
大后天 is three days from now, one day later than 后天; 前天 is the day before yesterday, the opposite direction.