slow, late, back, later
遅 centers on not being on time: slowness, lateness, or being behind schedule. The idea of 'later' is a natural extension of that same delayed timing.
遅 is the modern simplified form of 遲. The older form combines 辶 (movement) with 犀, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of slowness or delay. The modern inner component is a simplification that does not directly reflect the original structure.
The movement radical 辶 surrounds a shape that looks like a person dragging their feet. Picture someone moving so slowly that they are always late.
For チ, imagine a slow-moving cheetah that is always late to the hunt: cheetah -> チ, and its slowness makes it arrive later than everyone else.
slow
delay; lag; falling behind
lateness; tardiness; arriving late
delay; latency
to be late; to be delayed; to fall behind schedule; to be overdue
being too late; losing one's final chance
old-fashioned; behind the times; out-of-date; antiquated
slow
to delay; to postpone; to slow down; to retard
to delay; to postpone; to put off; to slow down; to hold up; to retard; to put back (a clock)
at the latest
belatedly; though a little too late
late shift; second shift; afternoon shift
to miss (a train, bus, etc.)
delay; procrastination
blooming late; flowering late; blossoming late
slow; lagging; tardy
to get a late start
writing slowly
delayed effect