後 means “behind, after”

うしろ · ushiro

Also: back, later

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

のち, うしろ, あと, おくれる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ゴ, コウ

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 2 · 9 strokes

The story

A foot dragging on a thread-bound mountain road, the old pictograph of falling behind. In Japanese, time flows past the body: what comes after walks behind you.

Used in 午後 (gogo, afternoon), 後ろ (ushiro, behind), and 最後 (saigo, last)

Words with 後

• 午後 (ごご, gogo): afternoon / PM

More from Compass & Position

• 前 front
• 上 above
• 東 east
• 方 direction
• 外 outside
• 下 below
• 以 from
• 区 ward
• 北 north
• 所 place
• 西 west
• 南 south

Learn 後 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.