Looking up...
うしろ
ushiro
back
彼は私のうしろに立っていた。
He was standing behind me.
neutral
The rear or back part of something or someone, opposite to the front.
車のうしろに荷物を置く。
I put the luggage in the back of the car.
彼女はうしろから近づいた。
She approached from behind.
Often used to describe position relative to another object or person. Can be spatial or metaphorical (e.g., 'behind in progress').
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing うしろ and 背中
うしろ refers to the rear part of an object or a general direction (e.g., 'behind the house'). 背中 (senaka) specifically means 'back' as in the human back or the back of a person/animal.
Gold Rule
Positional Clarity
When describing position, うしろ is relative to another object or person. For example, '机のうしろ' (ushiromo no tsukue) means 'the desk behind [something]'.
Word Origin
From Old Japanese うしろ (ushiro), derived from Proto-Japonic *usiro. Related to the verb うしろす (ushirosu, 'to follow') and possibly linked to the concept of 'behind' in spatial terms.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both literal (e.g., 'behind a building') and figurative contexts (e.g., 'behind in studies'). In polite speech, avoid pointing directly at someone's back; use indirect phrasing like '後ろの方' (the back area).
Word Breakdown
う
prefix indicating direction or position
prefixしろ
white/bright (archaic sense); here likely a nominalizer or positional suffix
suffix和英辞典