さすらい

also: りゅうり

さ

す

ら

い

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

wandering; roaming; drifting

usually written using kana alone

Evokes a poetic or lonely wandering, often without a fixed destination; used for people, birds, or a rootless lifestyle. The kanji form 流離 is rare and literary.

彼かれはさすらいの旅たびに出でた。
He set off on a wandering journey.

さすらいの鳥とりが空そらを舞まっている。

A wandering bird is circling in the sky.

Written forms

さすらいUsage65%
The most common spelling; the kanji form 流離 is rare and literary.
流離Usage35%
- さすらい
  Rare kanji spelling; also read りゅうり in some contexts.
- りゅうり
  Alternate reading of the kanji form; very rare and literary.
りゅうり

Kanji

流current, a sink, flow
離detach, separation, disjoin

Similar words

放ほう浪ろう
放浪 is more neutral and factual for 'wandering' or 'roaming', while さすらい carries a poetic, lonely nuance.
流る浪ろう
流浪 is a formal term for 'wandering' or 'exile', often used in historical or literary contexts, similar to さすらい but less emotional.

Etymology

Derived from the verb さすらう (to wander). The kanji 流離 are ateji, chosen for their meanings of 'flow' and 'separation' to evoke the sense of drifting away.