Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Related words 利り 口こう 利口 is more common and colloquial, often used for well-behaved or sensible children. 怜悧 is more literary and emphasizes quick-witted intelligence.
賢かしこ い 賢い is the most common word for 'smart' or 'wise', used in everyday speech. 怜悧 is less frequent and carries a slightly formal or elegant nuance.
Written forms 怜れい 悧り Usage 97%
Standard kanji form; the first character 怜 means 'clever' and the second 悧 also means 'clever'.
伶れい 俐り Usage 3%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 伶 means 'actor' and 俐 means 'clever', but this spelling is uncommon.
Etymology The word is composed of two kanji both meaning 'clever' or 'intelligent': 怜 (rei, 'wise') and 悧 (ri, 'clever'). It is a Sino-Japanese compound (kango) with no clear native Japanese origin. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
