after; and later
Only when written 以往
Formal or literary suffix attached to a time expression to mean 'after that time' or 'and later'. Restricted to the kanji form 以往.
I haven't seen him since graduation.
Formal or literary suffix meaning 'before a certain time' or 'prior to'. Less common than the 'after' sense; context usually makes the meaning clear.
I study Japanese literature from the Meiji period onward.
We investigate diplomatic documents from before the outbreak of war.
Standard kanji form for this suffix; used in formal or literary contexts.
Variant kanji form; less common than 以往.
Composed of 以 (from, by means of) and 往 (go, past). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination yields the sense of 'from a point in time onward' or 'before a point in time'.