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道Nihongo Path
浪

浪·wandering, waves, billows

On-yomi
ろう
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
浪費ろうひwaste (of money, time)
浪人ろうにんmasterless samurai; student retaking entrance exams
放浪ほうろうwandering, roaming
波浪はろうwaves (weather term)
浮浪者ふろうしゃvagrant

Example sentences

  1. 時間を浪費してしまった。

    じかんをろうひしてしまった。

    I ended up wasting my time.

  2. 兄は今年、浪人して受験勉強をしている。

    あにはことし、ろうにんしてじゅけんべんきょうをしている。

    My brother is spending a year out studying for the entrance exams again.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • 浪人 today usually means a student studying another year after missing a university place.
  • 波浪注意報 (はろうちゅういほう) is the weather warning for high waves.

Memory aid

Picture it

Water 氵 with 良: waves that roll on with no home to return to, hence both 'waves' and 'drifting, squandering'.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does the kanji 浪 mean?