After and behind with 後
The kanji 後 locates something after a reference point in time or behind it in space. It also expresses falling behind.
Etymology
Etymology Research
Kanjipedia’s account, credited to Kadokawa’s Shinjigen, classifies 後 as a semantic compound. It analyzes 彳 with a foot component written 夂 and 幺 understood as binding. Bound feet cannot advance, giving “fall behind”, then “after” and “behind”. The existing explanation accurately reflects this source’s main account, though “binding” explains 幺’s proposed role more precisely than the bare label “thread”. Kanjipedia, 後
CUHK identifies an early oracle-bone form with 幺 and a foot-shaped 夂, followed by the addition of 彳 to mark walking. It attributes the tied-foot interpretation to Lin Yiguang, while noting that Liu Zhao and He Linyi instead treat 幺 as phonetic. Bronze and Warring States forms sometimes use 辵 in place of 彳. These alternatives prevent a firm claim that every component was purely semantic. CUHK, Multi-function Chinese Character Database, 後
CUHK separates several attested uses. Oracle-bone text 屯南 2358 uses 後 for temporal order. The bronze 杕氏壺 uses it for lagging behind; 小臣單觶 uses it for temporal succession. Bronze inscriptions also use 後人 and 後嗣 for descendants, with 後 alone sometimes carrying that sense. These attestations establish early meanings, without proving one uninterrupted path of development. CUHK, 後
Heibonsha’s Jitsu offers another interpretation. It writes the foot component as 夊 and cites Shuowen’s gloss “slow”. It reports Duan Yucai’s explanation through small feet and childhood, then proposes that bronze variants concern a ritual, possibly a prayer for an enemy to retreat. Jitsu presents that ritual account tentatively. It should remain attributed rather than merged into the tied-foot explanation. Heibonsha, Jitsu, 後
The unresolved issue is the original role of 幺 and the precise scene, if any, represented by the earliest graph. The sources consulted do not settle it. A proposed phonetic role for 幺 does not supply a rule for choosing modern Japanese ゴ or コウ. The character’s Chinese formation also does not establish the origins of the native Japanese words あと, のち, うしろ, or おくれる.
Later in Time
今後 (From now on)
今後 is the time from now on.
It combines 今 (now) with 後 (after) to show what comes after now.
Example 1 of 2: Better to give up fortune telling with 〜た＋方がいい
Cocoa did fortune telling for her friends, only for all their fortunes to happen to her in a bad way.
- チノ:
- 「ココアさんは人の不幸の身代わりになる才能があるんですか？」
- “Cocoa, do you have a talent for taking on other people's misfortune?”
- リゼ:
- 「今後占いやめた方がいいぞ自分のために」
- “For your own sake, you had better stop fortune telling from now on.”
- ココア:
- 「なんで!?」
- “Why!?”
Example 2 of 2: Coming all the way up here in the mountains with 足を運ぶ
A large gathering takes place in a mansion deep in the mountains, in celebration of Reika, daughter of the head of Yotsui Group. After Reika blows out the candles on her birthday cake, her father congratulates her on turning 24, then he turns and addresses their guests.
- 四井:
- 「本日は娘のためにわざわざこんな山奥まで足を運んでいただき、感謝の念にたえません！！」
- “I can't thank you enough for coming all the way up here in the mountains today for my daughter!”
- 「今後も娘共々、我が四井グループを
どうぞ よろしく！！」 - “Please continue to be favorable to both my daughter and my Yotsui Group in the future!”
放課後 (After school)
放課後 is the time after classes end for the day.
It combines 放課 (dismissal from class) with 後 (after) to show the time after classes end.
After Takeo (Gouda) has helped her out multiple times, Saijou considers confessing her feelings to him. She waits for him near the shoe lockers before class.
- 西城:
- 「あのっ 今日剛田に話があるんだ」
- “Um... I need to talk to you today.”
- 「放課後ニワトリ小屋の前に来てくれるかな」
- “Could you come to the chicken coop after school?”
後 (After)
後 is the time after something, the space behind something, or what remains.
Example 1 of 2: Determining the cause of death with 解剖
Inspector Megure suggests the murder suspect committed suicide by drowning himself. The medical examiner disagrees.
- 監察医:
- 「ですが死因は溺死ではありません…」
- “However, drowning wasn't the cause of death...”
- 目暮:
- 「え？」
- “What?”
- 監察医:
- 「解剖してみないと断定できませんが… おそらく毒物を飲んだ後池に入ったものと…」
- “I can't say for certain without an autopsy... but it's likely he took poison and then entered the pond...”
Example 2 of 2: Drinking completely with 〜終わる
Chino explains the steps to perform coffee fortune telling.
- チノ:
- 「おじいちゃんのカフェ・ド・マンシーは当たりすぎて怖いと有名でした」
- “Grandpa's Café de Mancy was famous for predictions so accurate they were scary.”
- 「飲み終わった後に残ったコーヒーの模様で占うんです」
- “After you've finished drinking it, we tell fortunes from the patterns left in the coffee.”
その後 (After that)
その後 is the time following something that was just mentioned.
Rinko tells Saijou how she first met Takeo through her encounter with a groper on the train. It was Takeo who came to her rescue.
- 凛子:
- 「その後 そのチカンにうちの自業自得だみたいなこと言われて」
- “After that, the groper essentially told me it was my own fault.”
- 西城:
- 「なに そのチカン さいあく！！」
- “What?! That groper is the worst!”
Position and Order
最後 (Last)
最後 is the very end, or the last one.
It combines 最 (most) with 後 (after) to show the furthest point after all others.
As summer break is half over, talk of summer homework comes up. Yukari says she won’t let Mina copy off of hers.
- ミナ:
- 「まぁそんなこと言いつつ最後には見せてくれるよね」
- “Well, even though she says that, she'll show it to me in the end, you know.”
- サナエ:
- 「学級委員長だしね」
- “She is the class representative, after all.”
後ろ (Behind)
後ろ is the back side of something, or the area behind it.
Urushi prepared chocolate to give Ayumu for Valentine’s Day but is too nervous to give it to him. After the two play shogi during their club, Ayumu turns away from Urushi as he puts the shogi table away.
- うるし:
- 「今。歩が 後ろ向いてる間にかばんに入れればいいじゃん！！」
- “Now! While Ayumu's back is turned, I can just put it into his satchel!”
People Who Come Later
後輩 (Junior)
後輩 is a junior in the same school, workplace, or group, usually someone who joined later or has less experience.
It combines 後 (later) with 輩 (person of a group) to show a person who came later.
On a nighttime walk, Hamaguchi sees Hokujou casually dressed and wearing glasses. She’s fine with Hamaguchi seeing her like this, as they’ve known each other for a long time, but she tells him not to tell their classmates. At school the next morning…
- 高尾:
- 「おい 昨日浜口が、メガネ女子と夜に会ってたらしいぞ！」
- “Hey, I heard Hamaguchi was hanging out with a girl in glasses last night!”
- 生徒Ａ:
- 「見た目子供っぽかったって聞いたぞ。」
- “I heard she looked kind of childish.”
- 生徒Ｂ:
- 「後輩か何かか、浜口。」
- “Is she a junior or something, Hamaguchi?”
- 浜口:
- 「い… いやー…」
- “Uh... well...”