Structure:

Event + 之前/之后

Meaning:

Before and after can be expressed using 之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu). They are in relatively the same vein as 以前/以后, except that these two are adverbs, while 之前/之后 is a preposition. Don’t forget that these two are talking about before and after in terms of time.

Examples:

    来 中国 之前 ，我 的 汉语 水平 很 差。

    Lái zhōnɡ ɡuó zhī qián, wǒ de hàn yǔ shuǐ pínɡ hěn chà

    Before I came to China, my Chinese was bad.