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往后 (wǎng hòu) — (time) from now on, in the future; (space) backward, to the back

Definition

往后 covers both time ('from now on') and space ('backward'); for future time it's interchangeable with 以后 and 今后, but more colloquial than 将来.

noun
(time) from now onin the future(space) backwardto the back

Examples

  • 往后。
    wǎng hòu Nǐ yào duō zhù yì shēn tǐ.
    From now on, you need to pay more attention to your health.
  • 往后。
    Qǐng wǎng hòu tuì yí bù.
    Please step back one step.
  • 往后。
    wǎng hòu De rì zi huì yuè lái yuè hǎo.
    The days ahead will get better and better.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

往wǎnggo toward
后hòuback

往 goes toward 后, the back; since the back is what lies after the present, the sense points to time from now on.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
王
王wáng往wǎng
Same sound today

The form that became 往 paired 止, a foot, with 王 for the sound; a stepping part was later added, and the right side changed.

Open 往 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6DirectionsTime (Abstract)

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