Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

後方 (しりえ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

後方しりえ

し

り

え

Meanings

1

noun

rear; back; behind

dated term

Dated term for the rear or back of something; in modern Japanese 後ろ (うしろ) or 後方 (こうほう) are more common.

敵てきは後方しりえから攻せめてきた。
The enemy attacked from the rear.
彼かれは私わたしの後方しりえに立たっていた。
He was standing behind me.

Written forms

後方しりえ
Standard kanji spelling for this dated noun.
しりえUsage100%
後しりえ
Alternate spelling using okurigana; less common than 後方.
後しりえ
Single-kanji spelling; can be ambiguous with other readings such as あと or のち.

Kanji

後behind, back, later
方

direction, person, alternative

Similar words

後うしろ
Modern, everyday word for 'behind' or 'back'; 後方 (しりえ) is dated and rarely used in contemporary speech.
後こう方ほう
Modern Sino-Japanese reading meaning 'rear' or 'backward direction'; more common than しりえ in formal or technical contexts.

Etymology

The reading しりえ is a native Japanese compound of 後 (しり, 'rear') and 方 (え, 'direction'), but the exact historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji spelling 後方 is conventionally associated with this meaning.