The word 后果 is formed by combining two characters whose core meanings conceptually sequence a cause-and-effect relationship. The first character, 后 (hòu), carries the essential idea of "after" or "behind", establishing a temporal or sequential position. It is joined with 果 (guǒ), whose fundamental meaning here is "result" or "outcome". Thus, the compound naturally and intuitively signifies "an outcome that comes after", inherently embedding the notion of a consequence that follows an initial action or event.