[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Abstract-Concepts \ #Time-and-Space # 后 hòu after; behind ## Components [[口 (kǒu)]] [[口 kǒu]] [[厂 (chǎng，ān，hān，yán)]] [[厂 chǎng，ān，hān，yán]] [[一 (yī)]] ## Meaning The character "后" (hòu) is commonly used in various contexts: 1. **Position or Direction:** - "后面" (hòumiàn): Behind, back. - "前后" (qiánhòu): Before and after. - "后方" (hòufāng): Rear, back. 2. **Time:** - "后来" (hòulái): Afterwards, later. - "以后" (yǐhòu): After, later on. 3. **Descendants:** - "后代" (hòudài): Descendants, posterity. 4. **Others:** - "皇后" (huánghòu): Empress. - "后悔" (hòuhuǐ): Regret. - "后果" (hòuguǒ): Consequence. ## History The character "后" originally referred to the back or rear side of something, opposite to "前" (front). It also indicates a delay in time, opposite to "先" (before). For example, "后来" means afterwards, indicating a sequence of events. Additionally, it can refer to the descendants or posterity, as in "后代" (descendants). In its earliest form, "后" was a compound ideograph. The upper part represented a person, and the lower part represented a child, suggesting the idea of a mother giving birth to a child. Later, in the bronze script, it depicted a person walking slowly with a small child, indicating something or someone moving slowly behind. Eventually, it evolved into its current simplified form, combining both "后" and "後" into a single character. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[后oracle.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[后bronze.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[后seal.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[后cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[后reg.svg]]