のろま

の

ろ

ま

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun, na-adjective

blockhead; dunce; dimwit; dolt; slowcoach; slowpoke

usually written using kana alone

A mildly derogatory term for a person who is slow-witted, clumsy, or slow to act. Often used in a teasing or affectionate way among friends or family.

彼かれはのろまだから、いつも待またされる。
He's such a slowpoke, so I'm always kept waiting.

そんなのろまなやり方かたじゃ、日ひが暮くれちゃうよ。

With such a slow way of doing things, it'll be dark before you finish.

Written forms

のろまUsage84%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 鈍間, 野呂間, and 野呂松 are rare.
ノロマUsage14%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling used for emphasis or in casual writing.
鈍間のろまUsage2%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; the first character 鈍 means 'dull' or 'slow'.
野の呂ろ間ま
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form.
野の呂ろ松ま
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form.

Kanji

鈍dull, slow, foolish
間interval, space
野plains, field, rustic
呂

Similar words

鈍にぶい
鈍い is an adjective meaning 'dull' or 'slow' in a general sense (e.g., a dull knife, slow reflexes), while のろま is a noun/adjectival noun specifically describing a person who is slow-witted or sluggish.
ぐず
ぐず also means a slow or indecisive person, but often implies dawdling or complaining, whereas のろま focuses more on inherent slowness or clumsiness.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the mimetic word のろのろ (slowly, sluggishly) combined with a suffix, but the exact derivation is unclear.

spine, backbone

松pine tree