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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "behind" in Japanese?
後ろ
ushiro
In Japanese, "behind" is 後ろ (ushiro).
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Pronunciation
後ろ is written using kanji. Romanised as ushiro, it sounds roughly like "oo-shee-roh" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
Ushiro (後ろ) is the opposite of mae and uses the kanji for back or rear. The hiragana ろ ending is a common pattern for positional nouns.
Example sentence
彼は私の後ろに立っています。
Kare wa watashi no ushiro ni tatte imasu.
He is standing behind me.
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How to remember 後ろ
Ushiro means at the back. Pair it with mae (in front). These two opposites help you describe position in any scene.
Related words
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 後ろ
How do you pronounce 後ろ?
後ろ is romanised as ushiro. Say it roughly like "oo-shee-roh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is 後ろ formal or casual?
後ろ is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 後ろ written in Japanese?
後ろ is written using kanji. Ushiro (後ろ) is the opposite of mae and uses the kanji for back or rear.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
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"Behind" in other languages
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