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Kotomora

懶

languid, be lazy, be negligent

Strokes19

Readings

On'yomi

  • ラン
  • ライ

Kun'yomi

  • ものうい
  • おこたる

Meaning

懶 centers on a lack of energy or will to act: being languid, lazy, or negligent in one's duties.

Most common words using 懶

  • 三指樹懶みゆびなまけもの

    three-toed sloth

  • 二指樹懶ふたゆびなまけもの

    two-toed sloth (Choloepus sp.)

  • 懶惰らんだ

    indolence; laziness; sloth; idleness

  • 懶熊なまけぐま

    sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

Explore all words using 懶 →

Study

Etymology

懶 combines 忄 (heart/mind) with 賴, which likely contributes the sound and carries a sense of relying or leaning, suggesting a mind that leans toward inaction.

Meaning mnemonic

The heart radical 忄 beside 賴 (which can suggest dependence) paints a picture of a heart that just wants to lean back and do nothing—pure laziness.

Reading mnemonic

For ラン, imagine a lazy person lounging on a rancho (a made-up lazy ranch), too languid to get up: ran -> ラン.