n. (Hira=きさき) empress, queen, woman ruler of an empire, wife of an emperor

n. (Trad=後, Pinyin=hou4) back, behind, rear, offspring, empress, queen

adv. (Trad=後, Pinyin=hou4) afterwards, afterward, after, later

adj. (Trad=後, Pinyin=hou4) hind, hinder

n. (Trad=后, Pinyin=hou4) queen

n. (Simp=后, Pinyin=hou4) queen

blowing; with a puff

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[侯] a marquis

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[后] an empress; a queen

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[後] (1) after; afterward (s); later; since; hence; next to; following; behind
(2) later; after; farther [further]

zheng1 xian1 kong3 hou4
Striving to be first and fearing to lag behind.
Said of a contest in which one competes with another to win the first place. Concentrating too hard on winning (and therefore risk losing).

xian1 zhan3 hou4 zou4
Execute first, report later.
Describing a person who is acting without first getting the approval of his superiors - or even report only after his actions have become accomplished facts.

qian2 ju4 hou4 gong1
Arrogant at first and humble later.
Referring to snobby people who treat people according to their wealth and position.

qian2 wu2 gu3 ren2, hou4 wu2 lai2 zhe3
A deed that has never been approached before and will never be approached again.
The first half （前无古人） can also be used by itself, meaning someone without predecessors or something that no ancients in the past has ever done; without parallel in history; an unprecedented event.

qian2 men2 ju4 hu3, hou4 men2 jin4 lang2
Driving the tiger away from the front door and letting the wolf in at the back.
Fending off one danger only to fall a prey to another. Out of the fire into the frying pan. Compare with 抱薪救火 (bao4 xin1 jiu4 huo3), 雪上加霜 (xue3 shang4 jia1 shuang1) and 火上加油 (huo3 shang4 jia1 you2).

hou4 lai2 ju1 shang4
A latecomer occupies a better place.
Referring to what comes from behind and surpasses what is in front.

tang2 lang2 bu3 chan2 (...huang2 que2 zai4 hou4).
The mantis stalks the cicada (...unaware of the oriole behind).
Said of someone just pay attention to the profit of doing something, and do not consider the potential danger involved. Blinded by greed.

zou3 hou4 men2
Going through the back door.
To use unofficial ways or shortcuts.