also: そのご · そののち
after that; afterwards; thereafter
Temporal expression meaning 'after that' or 'subsequently'. The reading そのあと is the most common and neutral. そのご is more formal and often used in written or official contexts. そののち is archaic/literary.
その後、彼はどうなりましたか？
What happened to him after that?
会議の後、その後で食事に行きましょう。
After the meeting, let's go eat afterwards.
その後、状況は改善されました。
Thereafter, the situation improved.
あとで is a simple, casual way to say 'later', whereas その後 explicitly refers back to a previously mentioned event.
その後 is a casual, conversational way to say 'after that', while 以後 in this sense is used in more formal or written narration.
以前 means 'before' a reference point, the temporal opposite of その後, which means 'after' it.
Standard kanji spelling; most common reading is そのあと.
Formal reading; used in formal speech or writing.
Archaic/literary reading; rarely used in modern Japanese.
Rare kanji spelling using 其の; may appear in older texts.
Irregular okurigana usage; very rare.
Compound of その (demonstrative 'that') + 後 (あと/ご/のち, 'after'). The different readings reflect different historical layers: あと is native Japanese, ご is Sino-Japanese, and のち is an older native reading.