后
hòu
- Pinyin
- hòu
- Pinyin (Plain)
- hou
- Tone
- 4
- Strokes
- 6
- Radical
- 口
- Readings
- hòuhouTone: 4surname HouOrder: 0Primary
- Stroke Order Code
- Speed
- Stroke Order Data
- ["M 353 620 Q 498 656 596 701 Q 651 723 699 731 Q 720 732 724 741 Q 728 754 715 768 Q 690 787 636 809 Q 617 819 601 818 Q 592 814 591 800 Q 591 755 347 642 C 320 629 324 613 353 620 Z", "M 330 467 Q 337 519 344 581 Q 353 614 353 620 C 356 636 356 636 347 642 Q 344 646 339 648 Q 288 678 272 676 Q 250 673 266 649 Q 299 580 257 362 Q 242 304 209 236 Q 175 167 78 85 Q 62 72 58 66 Q 55 59 68 58 Q 107 55 191 130 Q 293 232 327 447 L 330 467 Z", "M 327 447 Q 363 417 400 430 Q 602 493 857 493 Q 858 493 860 493 Q 881 494 885 503 Q 889 516 872 529 Q 815 566 778 556 Q 646 522 332 468 Q 329 468 330 467 C 306 462 306 462 327 447 Z", "M 386 295 Q 373 301 347 306 Q 334 310 329 304 Q 322 297 331 279 Q 364 203 380 80 Q 381 43 403 17 Q 422 -8 428 10 Q 432 23 434 45 L 430 89 Q 412 216 406 257 C 402 287 401 289 386 295 Z", "M 737 123 Q 773 235 815 264 Q 836 286 819 308 Q 801 323 734 358 Q 713 367 688 358 Q 568 313 386 295 C 356 292 376 252 406 257 Q 418 258 659 301 Q 689 308 700 295 Q 712 282 708 256 Q 693 186 675 127 C 666 98 728 95 737 123 Z", "M 434 45 Q 443 45 452 46 Q 549 65 759 74 Q 772 75 774 86 Q 775 96 738 123 L 737 123 L 675 127 Q 539 100 430 89 C 400 86 404 44 434 45 Z"]
- Meaning
- According to standard modern dictionaries, “后” most commonly means “after/later” (as in time sequence) and “back/behind” (as in location). It can also mean “empress/queen” or “sovereign’s wife” in historical or formal contexts.
- Metadata
- Locale: enCached At: 5/8/2026, 9:03:53 PM
Usage
“后” is most commonly learned with the basic meanings “after” or “back/behind” in modern Chinese. As a standalone word and in combinations, it often refers to time: 以后 (yǐhòu, “after; later”), 之后 (zhīhòu, “afterwards”), 后来 (hòulái, “later on”), and 后天 (hòutiān, “the day after tomorrow”). It also appears in patterns like ……以后 / ……之后 to mean “after (doing) …,” which learners see early on in textbooks (e.g., 下课以后我去图书馆 “After class I go to the library”). In more physical or spatial contexts, “后” can mean “back” or “rear,” as in 后面 (hòumiàn, “behind; at the back”), 后边 (hòubian, “back side”), and 后排 (hòu pái, “back row”). You also see it in everyday words like 后果 (hòuguǒ, “consequence”) and 以后 (future time) where the sense is metaphorically “what comes later.” Learners also encounter the traditional character “後,” especially in Taiwan materials, but in simplified Chinese “后” covers both the “after/behind” meanings and, in other words, the “empress; queen” sense (e.g., 皇后 huánghòu), even though that royal meaning is less frequent in beginner content.
Handwriting Notes
在日常书写中，“后”这个字通常写得比印刷体更紧凑、圆润一些：上半部分像一个横着的“厂”或扁扁的小屋顶，下面的“口”往往略扁，最下方的一横有时会稍向右上或右下挑，整体给人一种略向右伸展的感觉。不同人的手写体中，顶部可以写得更简单：第一笔横较短，竖钩不明显，几乎像一条略弯的竖线；中间的“口”有时接近一个敞开的方框，右侧不完全封口；最底下一横的长度、弯曲程度和收笔方式也会变化，这些都会造成“后”在纸上呈现出从方正到较为潦草的一系列风格。现代的 AI 手写识别系统会通过大量样本学习这些变体，从笔画的大致位置、方向和比例来判断不同书写风格中的“后”，即使线条不完全标准或有连笔，也能较准确地将其识别出来。
Description
后 is a common Chinese character meaning “after, later, behind” in time or space. It is also used in some words meaning “queen, empress, or sovereign’s consort” (for example, 皇后 “empress”). In modern simplified Chinese, 后 is the standard form used in most contexts (traditional: 後 for the “after/behind” sense).
Common Words
- 后hou4back
- 其后qi2 hou4next
- 后嗣hou4 si4heir
- 后颈hou4 jing3nape
- 以后yi3 hou4after
Example Sentences
我喜欢后。
wo3 xi3 huan5 hou4
I like back.
其后很常见。
qi2 hou4 hen3 chang2 jian4
其后 is very common.
我们在学习后嗣。
wo3 men5 zai4 xue2 xi2 hou4 si4
We are learning heir.
这个后颈很重要。
zhe4 ge5 hou4 jing3 hen3 zhong4 yao4
This nape is important.
请写一下“后”。
qing3 xie3 yi1 xia4 hou4
Please write '后'.