Dong Chinese dictionary

hòu

queen, after

Original meaning:

heir to the throne

Depicts a queen mother (母) giving birth to her heir (𠫓). Based on the original meaning "heir to the throne". The meaning later expanded to "ruler", "successor", and "after".

Components

母 Iconic component

mǔ

mother

Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 母 than it was in ancient scripts.

𠫓 Iconic component

tū, yù

newborn

Depicts a child being born.

Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 𠫓 than it was in ancient scripts.

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Seal script

Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

后

hòu

queen, empress, sovereign; (simp. for 後) behind, rear, after; empress; queen; (archaic) monarch; ruler

后

Hòu

surname Hou

后 (後)

hòu

behind, rear, after; descendents; back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later; post-

Most common words with 后

Freq.	Word	Meaning
	后	back
	然后	after
	最后	final
	之后	afterwards
	以后	after

Component uses

Meaning component in 1 character (0 verified)

骺

Sound component in 5 characters (0 verified)

Sources

MTSU Chinese text computing

季旭昇《說文新證》p.708-709

漢語多功能字庫

Original meaning:

Freq.

Word

Meaning