後

Compound ideograph:

彳 (walking, step) — movement or path;

幺 (thread, small) — something trailing or slight;

夂 (go slowly, follow from behind) — indicates following after.

Together, they depict “being bound behind on the road,” thus “to be behind, to come later.”

Semantic range:

- position: behind, the rear, the back;

- time: after, later, afterwards;

- order/sequence: to follow, successor.

후배 (後輩) — junior, younger colleague

후방 (後方) — rear, back area

후진 (後進) — backwardness; younger generation

후손 (後孫) — descendants

후일 (後日) — later days, in the future

후회 (後悔) — regret

지후 (遲後) — lateness, delay

후과 (後果) — consequence, result

후천 (後天) — acquired, postnatal (opp. 先天)

Contrasted with 前 (front, before), as in pairs like 前後 (before and after).