hòu

behind

Depicts someone's foot () being held back by a rope (), preventing them from being able to walk () forward.

Components
彳 meaning component

  Meaning component

chì

  

walk

is a component form of .

幺 iconic component

  Iconic component

meyāo

  

tiny

Depicts a rope.

夂 iconic component

  Iconic component

zhǐ

  

go

is a component form of .

Evolution

後 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
後 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
後 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
後 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
後 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

hòu

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

Most common words with 後
Freq.
Word
Meaning

back

然后

after

最后

final

之后

afterwards

以后

after