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Kotomora

呆

be amazed, disgusted, shocked

FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes7

Readings

On'yomi

  • ホウ

Kun'yomi

  • ほけ.る
  • ぼ.ける
  • あき.れる
  • おろか

Meaning

呆 centers on a stunned, blank reaction: being so amazed or shocked that you freeze up, or feeling disgusted to the point of speechlessness.

Most common words using 呆

20 of 34
  • 阿呆あほ
    N1

    fool; idiot; simpleton

  • 呆れるあきれる
    N2

    to be amazed; to be shocked; to be astonished; to be astounded; to be disgusted; to be exasperated; to be fed up

  • 呆気ないあっけない
    N1

    unsatisfying; disappointing; abrupt; not enough; too quick; too short; over too soon

  • 呆然ぼうぜん
    N1

    dumbfounded; overcome with surprise; in blank amazement; in a daze

  • 痴呆ちほう

    dementia

  • 呆気らかんあっけらかん

    unconcernedly; nonchalantly; indifferently; (looking) as if nothing has happened

  • 呆ほう

    (I'm) shocked

  • 呆気あっけ
    N1

    being taken aback; state of shock; dumbfoundedness

  • 阿呆らしいあほらしい

    ridiculous

  • 呆けるぼける
    N1

    to grow senile; to be childish with age

  • ド阿呆ドあほ

    total idiot

  • 一読呆然いちどくぼうぜん

    a (single) reading (a perusal) leaves one dumbfounded

  • 呆れてものが言えないあきれてものがいえない

    astonished beyond words; speechless out of shock

  • 呆れ入るあきれいる

    to be dumbfounded; to be amazed

  • 呆れ果てるあきれはてる

    to be flabbergasted; to be dumbfounded

  • 呆れ笑いあきれわらい

    laughing in astonishment (at something silly or stupid); scoff

  • 呆れ返るあきれかえる

    to be utterly amazed; to be stunned; to be disgusted

  • 呆れ顔あきれがお

    look of amazement; looking dumbfounded

  • 呆気にとられるあっけにとられる

    to be taken aback; to be astonished; to be dumbfounded

  • 拳闘家痴呆けんとうかちほう

    dementia pugilistica; boxer's dementia; punch-drunk syndrome

Explore all words using 呆 →

Study

Etymology

呆 is thought to combine 口 (mouth) and 木 (tree), but the exact historical development is uncertain. It may have originally depicted a person with a gaping mouth beside a tree, suggesting a dazed or stunned state.

Meaning mnemonic

Picture a mouth 口 hanging open above a stiff wooden body 木: someone so amazed or disgusted they stand frozen like a tree, unable to speak.

Reading mnemonic

For ホウ, imagine a person so shocked they can only let out a hollow "hoo" sound: hoo -> ホウ, their mouth agape in disbelief.