Still at the beginning of my 日本語の learning journey, and using multiple resources. Today the vocab gave me 後, which I learned elsewhere (e.g. 前(まえ)・後(あと)) is for the temporal “behind”, whereas the positional one is 後ろ. However, there are two example sentences where あと reading is used positionally (彼の後を熊が歩いている。), and now I’m confused. Help!
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Maybe it’s not there is literally a bear walking right behind him, but rather a bear is somewhere behind following his steps/path. In that sense it sort of is temporal.
Dictionary lists 後を追う meaning to follow/pursue.
Also there’s this other kanji 跡 read also as あと which seems to have a bit of overlap with 後
i would say後ろmeans behind a object or living being’s location (behind ones back, or behind the carpet) while 後 is just a general structural definition. (After A comes B)