魯
foolish, Russia
Readings
On'yomi
- ロ
Kun'yomi
- おろか
Meaning
魯 centers on dullness or lack of sharpness: foolishness or stupidity. The meaning "Russia" is a phonetic loan used in country names and does not share a conceptual link with foolishness.
Most common words using 魯
- 魯ろ
Lu (Chinese vassal state existing during the Spring and Autumn period)
- 格魯布クルップ
croup
- 烏魯木斉ウルムチ
Ürümqi (China)
- 強弩の末魯縞に入る能わずきょうどのすえろこうにいるあたわず
even the strong will grow weak; (even an arrow fired from) a strong bow loses momentum until it cannot even penetrate a piece of thin silk from Lu
- 烏焉魯魚うえんろぎょ
miswriting a word; using the wrong kanji to write a word
- 魯敏孫漂流記ロビンソンひょうりゅうき
The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (orig. Japanese title)
- 魯肉飯ルーローハン
minced pork rice; Taiwanese dish of pork stewed in soy, served on rice
- 魯鈍ろどん
imbecility; stupidity
- 魯魚の誤りろぎょのあやまり
miswriting a word; using the wrong kanji to write a word
- 魯魚亥豕ろぎょがいし
miswriting a word; using the wrong kanji to write a word
- 魯魚章草ろぎょしょうそう
miswriting a word; using the wrong kanji to write a word
Study
Etymology
魯 combines 魚 (fish) and 日 (sun/day). The historical origin is uncertain; one traditional view links it to a place name, and the 'foolish' meaning may have developed from a borrowed usage. The modern form does not clearly depict foolishness.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a fish (魚) staring blankly at the sun (日) all day, too foolish to swim away. That dull, unthinking fish is 魯: foolish.
Reading mnemonic
For ロ, imagine a foolish fish trying to row (ロ) a boat but going in circles. Row -> ロ, and the fish's silly rowing shows its foolishness.