Onyomi: チ · Kunyomi: おく.らす, おく.れる, おそ.い · Meanings: back, late, later, slow
Kanji for back, late, later, slow
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The kanji 遅 is made from the movement radical 辶 (showing a path or walking) on the left and 知 (know) on the right. Long ago, scribes imagined someone walking along a path while thinking or hesitating — moving slowly because they are taking time to understand or consider. 辶 shows the act of traveling or moving, while 知 represents thought or knowledge. Together, they create the image of moving along a road at a slow pace, giving the meaning “late” or “slow.”
遅 combines the walking path (辶) with knowing or thinking (知), representing moving slowly or arriving late.
Imagine walking along a winding path (辶), thinking carefully (知) about what to do next. Because of your careful thought, you move slowly — that’s 遅.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 遅い | おそい | slow | common JLPT-N5 I-adjective (keiyoushi) |
| 遅れる | おくれる | to be late, to be delayed, to fall behind schedule, to be overdue | common JLPT-N4 Ichidan verb, Intransitive verb |
| 遅刻 | ちこく | lateness, tardiness, arriving late | common JLPT-N3 Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb |
| 遅れ | おくれ | delay, lag, postponement, falling behind | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 遅くとも | おそくとも | at the latest | JLPT-N1 Adverb (fukushi) |
| 遅延 | ちえん | delay, latency | common Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb, Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no' |
| 遅々 | ちち | slow, lagging, tardy | common 'taru' adjective, Adverb taking the 'to' particle |
| 遅らせる | おくらせる | to delay, to postpone, to put off, to slow down, to hold up, to retard, to put back (a clock) | Ichidan verb, Transitive verb |
| 遅滞 | ちたい | delay, procrastination | Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb |
| 遅らす | おくらす | to delay, to postpone, to slow down, to retard | common JLPT-N1 Godan verb with 'su' ending, Transitive verb |
| 遅かれ早かれ | おそかれはやかれ | sooner or later | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Adverb (fukushi) |
| 遅じまい | おそじまい | late closing | Noun |
| 遅霜 | おそじも | late spring frost | Noun |
| 遅れを取る | おくれをとる | to fall behind, to lag behind, to lose (race, contest) | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Godan verb with 'ru' ending |
| 遅配 | ちはい | delay (in payment, delivery, rationing, etc.) | Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb, Intransitive verb |