时隔…
after an interval of; … later (before a return, reunion or repeat)
Structure
时隔 时段 , 主语 终于/再次/又 动词
What it means
“After an interval of; … later”: it measures the gap before something finally happens again, such as a return, a reunion or a repeat.
How it is built
时隔 + length of time, + subject + 终于/再次/又/才/重新 + verb: 时隔十年,他又回到了那个小镇 (Ten years on, he went back to that small town).
When to use it
Written, news-like style; the main clause usually has 终于, 再次, 又, 才 or 重新. In speech say 过了十年 or 隔了十年.
Watch out
It takes a length of time, not a date: ✗时隔2021年 ✓时隔二十年. 时隔 already means “after”, so 时隔十年以后 is redundant (though 之后 is sometimes added in looser writing).
Examples
时隔二十四年,父子终于团聚。
After twenty-four years, father and son were together again.
时隔十年,他又回到了当年读书的小镇。
Ten years on, he went back to the small town where he had gone to school.
时隔半个世纪,两国领导人再次在这里会晤。
Half a century later, the leaders of the two countries met here again.
Learn this in Lesson 153 · HSK 7–9: 宝贝回家 (Bringing the children home)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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