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Kotomora

朗

melodious, clear, bright, serene, cheerful

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes10

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

Explore all words using 朗 →

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.