also: かったい · かたい
noun
Medical term for Hansen's disease. The word can be sensitive; in modern contexts, ハンセン病 is often preferred. The gloss 'leper' refers to a person with the disease, but this usage is dated and potentially offensive.
らいは現在、治療可能な病気です。
Leprosy is now a treatable disease.
昔は、らい患者は隔離されていました。
In the past, leprosy patients were isolated.
Kanji form; rarely used and may be considered sensitive or outdated.
Rare reading variant.
Rare reading variant.
Modern, preferred term for Hansen's disease. らい is an older term that can be considered sensitive.
The reading らい is derived from Middle Chinese. The alternate readings かったい and かたい are rare and their origins are uncertain.