遅 means “slow, late”

おそい · osoi

Also: back, later

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

おくれる, おくらす, おそい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

チ

JLPT N4 · Taught in secondary school · 12 strokes

The story

Movement (辶) held back by a rhinoceros-like weight (犀): something so heavy it can only move slowly. 遅い (osoi) reflects Japan's relationship with time, a culture that invented the bullet train but also cherishes the unhurried pace of 遅咲き (osozaki, late-blooming) cherry trees. 遅刻 (chikoku, arriving late) is one of the most dreaded words in punctual Japan.

Used in 遅い (osoi, slow/late), 遅刻 (chikoku, being late), and 遅咲き (osozaki, late-blooming)

Words with 遅

• 遅刻 (ちこく, chikoku): being late / tardiness

Example sentences

• 遅くなってすみません。 Sorry for being late.
• 電車に遅刻しました。 I was late for the train.

More from Measurement & Size

• 量 quantity
• 測 measure
• 少 few
• 倍 double
• 満 full
• 大 big
• 小 small
• 短 short
• 広 wide
• 狭 narrow
• 重 heavy
• 軽 light (weight)

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.