tail, extremity, rear

尾 is composed of 尸 (corpse) and 毛 (fur). 尸 refers to the human body, therefore 尾 conveys the idea of an ornament made of animal fur hanging from a person’s buttocks. The original meaning of 尾 is the protruding part at the end of the spine of birds and beasts, and later it came to refer generally to the end or rear of anything.