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The Chinese character 工 (gōng) means “work” or “labor.” It is a pictograph representing a carpenter’s square.

The character 工 is a radical, but it is used in relatively few other characters. The most common character which incorporates 工 is 左 (zuǒ), which means “left.”

The character 工 is used in many compound words, often related to work and industry. Here are some of them:

Mandarin Vocabulary With Gōng

The Mandarin Chinese yǐhòu 以後/以后 means after, and is used in this sentence pattern:

After an action is completed, then another action occurs.

Using Yi Hou – After

Here are some examples of this sentence pattern:

Tā xià kè yǐhòu, yào huí jiā chī fān.
After class, he will return home to eat. (literally – He class is over after, going to return home eat a meal.)
他下課以後要回家吃飯｡
他下课以后要回家吃饭｡

Tāmen jiéhūn yǐhòu yào dào Měiguó qù zhù.
After they get married, they will go to live in America. (literally – They marry after, going to to America go live.)
他們結婚以後要到美國去住｡
他们结婚以后要到美国去住｡

Notes About Yi Hou – After

This sentence pattern has two clauses, and yǐhòu is always placed after the first clause. The clause containing yǐhòu must be the first clause. This is in contrast to English, where the two clauses can be reversed.

Yǐhòu can also mean afterwords, in which case it is used in a single-clause sentence, and can be placed either before or after the subject:

Tā yǐhòu huì qù Měiguó.
他以後會去美國｡
他以后会去美国｡
He will go to America afterwards.

or

Yǐhòu tā huì qù Měiguó.
以後他會去美國｡
以后他会去美国｡
Afterwards, he will go to America.

(Source: mandarin.about.com)

The Mandarin Chinese yǐ qián 以前 means before, and is used in this sentence pattern:

Before an action happens, another action occurs.

Using Yi Qian – Before

This sentence pattern has two clauses, and yǐ qián is always placed after the first clause. The clause containing yǐ qián must be the first clause. This is in contrast to English, where the two clauses can be reversed.

Here are some examples of this sentence pattern:

Tā shuìjiào yǐqián, xǐhuan kànshū.
He likes to read before going to bed. (literally – He sleep before, likes read.)
他睡覺以前喜歡看書｡
他睡觉以前喜欢看书｡

Wǒ lái Jiānádà yǐqián, zài Táiwān jiào shū.
Before coming to Canada, I taught in Taiwan. (literally – I come Canada before, in Taiwan teach.)
我來加拿大以前在台灣教書｡
我来加拿大以前在台湾教书｡

Wǒ chī zǎo fàn yǐqián, xiān chuān yīfu.
I get dressed before I eat breakfast. (literally – I eat breakfast before, first change clothes.)
我吃早飯以前先穿衣服｡
我吃早饭以前先穿衣服｡

Notes About Yi Qian – Before

Yǐ qián can also mean previously, in which case it is used in a single-clause sentence, and can be placed either before or after the subject:

Tā yǐqián zhù zài Měiguó.
He previously lived in America.
他以前住在美國｡
他以前住在美国｡

or

Yǐqián tā zhù zài Měiguó.
Previously he lived in America.
以前他住在美國｡
以前他住在美国｡

(Source: mandarin.about.com)