后遗症
hòuyízhèng · HSK 7
aftereffect
🤕 后遗症 = after (后) + left-behind (遗) + symptom (症): the symptom left behind after
后 means after, 遗 means to leave behind or be left over, and 症 means a medical symptom or condition. Together they name the lingering symptom an illness or injury leaves behind once it is over: a sequela or aftereffect.
后 — 厂 cliff + 一 + 口 mouth
Originally depicted a ruler or sovereign issuing commands, showing a figure with a mouth giving orders. It came to mean 'queen' or 'empress.' In modern simplified Chinese, 后 also absorbed the meaning 'behind/after' from the traditional character 後, so context decides which sense applies.