The word 后悔 (hòuhuǐ, "to regret") is formed through a logical conceptual combination of its two component characters. The first character, 后, means "after" or "later", and the second character, 悔, means "to repent" or "to feel remorse". When combined, they create a vivid temporal sequence of feeling: the repentance or remorse that comes after an action or decision, perfectly capturing the essence of regret as a belated and often painful realization.