Then / immediately after (继而 / 随即)

Structure Action A，继而 / 随即 + action B (immediate)

继而 (jì'ér) and 随即 (suíjí) chain two events in immediate succession within elevated narration: "then", "right after", "immediately". 继而 stresses that B follows A as its natural continuation (他先是一惊，继而大笑 = "he first started, then burst out laughing"); it is the written counterpart of 接着/然后. 随即 emphasizes speed, with almost no gap between A and B (点头，随即离去 = "he nodded and at once left"). Both belong to narrative prose and journalistic register; in speech 接着, 然后, 马上 are preferred.

Examples

他tā先xiān是shì一yī惊jīng，继jì而ér大dà笑xiào起qǐ来lái。
He was startled at first, and then burst out laughing.
她tā点diǎn了le点diǎn头tóu，随suí即jí转zhuǎn身shēn离lí去qù。
She nodded, then immediately turned around and left.
现xiàn场chǎng先xiān是shì一yī片piàn寂jì静jìng，继jì而ér响xiǎng起qǐ热rè烈liè的de掌zhǎng声shēng。
The hall first fell silent, and then warm applause broke out.
消xiāo息xī一yī经jīng公gōng布bù，股gǔ价jià随suí即jí大dà幅fú下xià跌diē。
As soon as the news was released, the share price plunged immediately.

This point and the other 370, with audio on every example, inside Wanyu.

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