How to read 後: 6 readings with examples

The Jōyō Kanji table lists 6 readings for 後. Which one you use depends on the word it sits in, so learn the words below and the reading comes with them.

On'yomi

ゴgoコウkou

Kun'yomi

のちnochiうし(ろ)ushiroあとatoおく(れる)okureru

Word	Reading	Type	Meaning
午後	ごごgogo	On	afternoon, p.m.
最後	さいごsaigo	On	the last
後半	こうはんkouhan	On	second half
後悔	こうかいkoukai	On	regret
後ほど	のちほどnochihodo	Kun	later on
後ろ	うしろushiro	Kun	behind
後で	あとでatode	Kun	later
後れる	おくれるokureru	Kun	to fall behind

How to tell which reading of 後 to use

ゴ means after, in time: 午後, 最後, 食後.
コウ is for the later or rear part: 後半, 後輩.
あと (after, later) and のち (later, more formal) are about time; うしろ is about space (behind).
後れる (fall behind) is usually written 遅れる.

Seen in JapanShops and online stores: 後払い (atobarai), pay later.

Quiz

Can you read these sentences?

Why does one kanji have so many readings?

Kanji came to Japan from China over several centuries. Each wave brought the Chinese pronunciation of its time and place, and Japanese kept the older sounds alongside the newer ones. Those borrowed sounds are the on'yomi. For example, 生 is セイ in 先生 but ショウ in 一生. Japanese also attached its own native words to the characters, and those are the kun'yomi.

Sounds also shift when words join: ひ becomes び in 日曜日, ひと becomes びと in 人々, and ふん becomes ぷん in 三分. That is why the readings listed in a dictionary don't always match what you hear.