Belated means late in a special way: the right time has already gone by, and this comes after.

Belated這個字 means指的是 late in a special way一種特別的「遲」：the right time has already gone by該到的時候已經過去了，and this comes after這件事才接著發生。

We use it most for kind words that arrive too late — belated birthday wishes, a belated thank-you, a belated apology.

We use it most for這個字最常用在 kind words that arrive too late來得太遲的好話上——belated birthday wishes遲來的生日祝福、a belated thank-you遲來的道謝、a belated apology遲來的道歉。

It is a little more formal and written than just late. You would not usually say “I was belated for class”; you were late.

It is a little more formal and written than這個字比 just late單純的 late 更正式、更書面一點。You would not usually say你通常不會說 "I was belated for class"「I was belated for class」；you were late而是說 you were late。

Though actually, the old verb belate (“to make someone late”) is almost gone, so today belated lives almost only as this adjective.

Though actually不過其實，the old verb belate古老的動詞 belate（"to make someone late"意思是「讓某人遲到」）is almost gone幾乎已經消失了，so today belated所以現在 belated lives almost only as this adjective幾乎只以這個形容詞的身分存在。

It can also describe a feeling or an act that comes later than it should: a belated realisation, a belated attempt to fix things.

It can also describe它也可以形容 a feeling or an act that comes later than it should來得比應該的時候晚的感覺或行動：a belated realisation遲來的體悟、a belated attempt to fix things遲來的補救。

It is not rude by itself; it often arrives with an apology already sitting inside it.

It is not rude by itself它本身並不算沒禮貌；it often arrives with an apology already sitting inside it常常本身就已經帶著歉意了。