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后方 (hòu fāng) — rear; behind; back side

Definition

Noun meaning 'the rear / behind', used in military, spatial, and logistical contexts (e.g. rear troops, back of a shop). It denotes a location behind the speaker or a base of support, not a directional 'back' in general movement.

noun
rearbehindback side

Examples

  • 后方。
    Chē zi hòu fāng zhàn zhe yí gè rén.
    There is a person standing behind the car.
  • 后方。
    Zhàn chǎng hòu fāng shì zhī yuán bù duì.
    The rear of the battlefield is the support troops.
  • 后方。
    Qǐng dào shāng diàn hòu fāng qǔ huò.
    Please pick up the goods at the back of the store.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

后hòuback
方fāngdirection; area

“后” means back and “方” indicates direction or area, together denoting the rear area.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 方 →
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