noun
intellectual disability; mental retardation
Sensitive and outdated term. In modern Japanese, more neutral terms such as 知的障害 (ちてきしょうがい) are preferred. This word may still appear in older texts or historical contexts.
昔は「知恵遅れ」という言葉が使われていたが、今は差別的な表現とされている。
In the past, the word 'chieokure' was used, but now it is considered a discriminatory expression.
Compound of 知恵 (wisdom, intellect) and 遅れ (delay, lag). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it reflects an older, now-discriminatory view of intellectual disability.