Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 惰

惰

Level:N1 Low
Strokes:12
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji 惰 (だ) primarily conveys the meaning of "laziness," "idleness," or "inertia." It refers to a state of being unwilling to work or exert oneself, a lack of motivation, or a tendency to avoid effort. It implies a lack of energy, initiative, and drive.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): タ (ta) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): 惰(なま)ける (namakeru - to be lazy, to slack off)

Usage Examples

⚫︎ 惰性 (だせい) Translation: Inertia; momentum; habit; laziness. ⚫︎ 惰眠 (だみん) Translation: Lethargy; drowsiness; idleness. ⚫︎ 惰弱 (だじゃく) Translation: Weakness; feebleness; laxity; indolence.

Origin and Formation

The kanji 惰 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字 - keisei moji). It is composed of two parts: ⚫︎ The semantic component is 忄 (りっしんべん - risshinben), which represents "heart" or "mind," indicating that the character relates to a state of mind. ⚫︎ The phonetic component is 㥛, which is pronounced as タ (ta) and provides the sound. Therefore, the character suggests a state of the mind related to idleness or laziness.

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