後

Glyph origin
In oracle bone script, – a foot bound by a rope, thus lagging behind. The component was added afterwards to emphasize this action.

Note that the simplified form is also a traditional character on its own, with a different meaning.

Etymology
From (STEDT). Cognate with 🇨🇬, 🇨🇬, 🇨🇬 (from 🇨🇬).

Definitions

 * 1) behind; rear; back
 * 2) later; after; afterwards
 * 3) last
 * 4) descendants; offsprings
 * 5) post-
 * 6)  anus
 * 1) last
 * 2) descendants; offsprings
 * 3) post-
 * 4)  anus
 * 1) descendants; offsprings
 * 2) post-
 * 3)  anus
 * 1) post-
 * 2)  anus

Kanji

 * 1) behind, after

Etymology 1
Originally an extension of, itself a compound of +.

Noun

 * 1)  the back, the rear, behind
 * 2)  later time, afterwards, some time after the present
 * 3) time after death
 * 4)  the next person or thing
 * 5) instead, in place of
 * 6) successor
 * 7) descendants, offspring
 * 8) wife of remarriage
 * 9) the rest; certain part, space or thing left
 * 10) memory of the deceased; one's virtue that remains after death
 * 1) instead, in place of
 * 2) successor
 * 3) descendants, offspring
 * 4) wife of remarriage
 * 5) the rest; certain part, space or thing left
 * 6) memory of the deceased; one's virtue that remains after death
 * 1) descendants, offspring
 * 2) wife of remarriage
 * 3) the rest; certain part, space or thing left
 * 4) memory of the deceased; one's virtue that remains after death
 * 1) the rest; certain part, space or thing left
 * 2) memory of the deceased; one's virtue that remains after death
 * 1) memory of the deceased; one's virtue that remains after death

Adverb

 * 1) later, after, from now on

Conjunction

 * 1) afterwards, then

Etymology 3
The of verb. Examples appear from at least the 1300s.

More commonly spelled with the okurigana.

Etymology 4
Uncommon alternative spelling.

Etymology 5
From. Found in the ' of 720, and phonetically as in the ' of 759.

Compound of.

Noun

 * 1) the rear, back, or backside of something
 * 2) the rearward or backward direction
 * 3) the portion of a palace where a queen or other female imperial consort lives

Etymology 6
From. Ultimate derivation.

Noun

 * 1) later, afterwards, some time after the present

Etymology 7
From. Ultimate derivation. May be cognate with.

Noun

 * 1)  later, afterwards, some time after the present

Etymology 8
From.

Noun

 * 1) later, afterwards, some time after the present

Suffix

 * 1) after

Etymology 9
From. Classified as the kan'on, so likely a later borrowing. Compare modern 🇨🇬 reading hòu.

Prefix

 * 1)  later, after, following, rearward

Usage notes
Only used in compounds. Never used in isolation.

Etymology
From.