此后
cǐhòu · HSK 5
henceforth
⏭️ 此 (this) + 后 (after) = after this point — thenceforth
此 means 'this' and 后 means 'after' or 'later'. Together they literally mean 'after this', extending to 'from then on' or 'thereafter'. Common in written and formal Chinese.
此 — foot 止 + spoon/person 匕
此 originally depicted a person (匕) standing with a foot (止), suggesting 'to stop here' or 'this place.' Over time the meaning generalized from a specific location to the demonstrative pronoun 'this.' The foot component still hints at the original sense of standing in a particular spot.
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.