朗
melodious, clear, bright, serene, cheerful
Readings
On'yomi
- ロウ
Kun'yomi
- ほが.らか
- あき.らか
Nanori
- あき
- あきら
- お
- さえ
- ろ
Meaning
朗 centers on a clear, bright quality that feels pleasant and uplifting: melodious sound, serene cheerfulness, or clear brightness.
Most common words using 朗
- 朗報ろうほうN1
good news; happy news; glad tidings
- 朗読ろうどくN1
reading aloud; recitation
- 明朗めいろうN1
cheerful; bright
- 朗らかほがらかN3
cheerful; merry; sunny; melodious
- 朗々ろうろう
clear; sonorous; full-sounding; resonant; bright
- 不明朗ふめいろう
gloominess; gloom
- 朗詠ろうえい
recitation (of Japanese or Chinese poem)
- 明朗会計めいろうかいけい
clear accounting; honest accounting (billing); transparent billing practices (in restaurant and bar charges, etc.)
- 明朗快活めいろうかいかつ
cheerful and openhearted
- 明朗闊達めいろうかったつ
upbeat and freehearted; cheerful and magnanimous
- 晃朗こうろう
bright and brilliant
- 晴朗せいろう
clear; fair; fine; serene
- 朗吟ろうぎん
recitation; singing
- 朗唱ろうしょう
recitation; chant
- 朗読CDろうどくシーディー
audiobook on a CD-ROM
- 朗読会ろうどくかい
recital; recitation; public reading
- 融朗ゆうろう
brightness; clearness
- 音吐朗朗おんとろうろう
in a clear voice
Study
Etymology
朗 combines 良 (good) with 月 (moon), suggesting the clear, bright quality of moonlight. The modern form preserves this semantic combination.
Meaning mnemonic
Good 良 moonlight 月 fills the scene with a clear, serene brightness that feels cheerful and melodious.
Reading mnemonic
For ロウ, imagine a low, melodious hum under the bright moon: low -> ロウ, and the sound is clear and serene.