Meaning
The kanji 遅 (おそい) expresses the concepts of 'slow,' 'late,' or 'to delay.' It describes anything that isn't on time, lacks speed, or falls behind a set pace. For example, it applies to a person arriving late, a train running behind schedule, or a process moving at a leisurely speed.
Understanding its etymological origin helps clarify its meaning. 遅 is a phono-semantic compound, built from two main components. The first is 辶 (しんにょう, shinnyō), the 'road' or 'walk' radical, which suggests movement or a path. The second is 犀 (さい, sai), originally depicting a rhinoceros. Although 犀 literally means 'rhinoceros,' here it primarily acts as a phonetic component, indicating the kanji's sound. Some interpretations, however, suggest that the rhinoceros component also subtly contributes a semantic nuance of 'heavy' or 'slow-moving,' reflecting the animal's nature. Thus, combining 'movement' (辶) with the 'slow' or 'heavy' phonetic (犀) creates the overarching meaning of 'moving slowly' or 'being late on a path.'
The visual structure of 遅 subtly reinforces its meaning. The 辶 'road' radical on the left side suggests a journey or progression. Meanwhile, the right side hints at a hindrance or a lack of swiftness in that movement, making 遅 an intuitive character for slowness or lateness. With 12 strokes, this kanji is taught in the 4th grade of elementary school in Japan. This makes 遅 a foundational character for discussing concepts related to time and speed.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
On'yomi are readings derived from Chinese pronunciations. They are typically used when the kanji appears in compound words, often conveying a more abstract or formal nuance. For 遅, the main on'yomi is チ (chi).
- チ (chi)
チ (chi) is the primary on'yomi for 遅. It appears frequently in formal or technical terms concerning delays, lateness, or stagnation.
- 遅刻 (chikoku) — lateness, tardiness. This refers to being late for an appointment, work, or school.
- 遅延 (chien) — delay, postponement. Often used for public transport or project deadlines.
- 遅滞 (chitai) — delay, stagnation, backlog. This suggests a more prolonged or serious delay.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Kun'yomi are native Japanese readings. They are often used when the kanji appears alone or with okurigana (送り仮名), which are kana characters added to complete a word. These readings usually convey a more direct and concrete meaning.
- 遅れる (okureru) — to be late, to be delayed, to fall behind.
This is a frequently encountered kun'yomi, describing an event or person falling behind schedule or lagging.
時間に遅れる (jikan ni okureru) — to be late for an appointment.
流行に遅れる (ryūkō ni okureru) — to be behind the times, to fall behind fashion.
電車が遅れる (densha ga okureru) — the train is delayed.
遅い (osoi) — slow, late (adjective).
Used as an i-adjective to describe something or someone that is slow or that happens late.
足が遅い (ashi ga osoi) — slow-footed, slow runner.
返事が遅い (henji ga osoi) — the reply is late/slow.
朝が遅い (asa ga osoi) — to wake up late.
遅らす (okurasu) — to delay, to postpone, to put off.
This is a transitive verb, meaning someone or something causes a delay.
出発を遅らす (shuppatsu o okurasu) — to delay departure.
仕事を遅らす (shigoto o okurasu) — to postpone work.
発表を遅らす (happyou o okurasu) — to delay the announcement.
遅く (osoku) — slowly, late (adverb).
This is the adverbial form of 遅い, often modifying verbs or describing timing.
- 夜遅く (yoru osoku) — late at night.
- 会議に遅く到着する (kaigi ni osoku tōchaku suru) — to arrive late for the meeting.
- 時計が遅く進む (tokei ga osoku susumu) — the clock runs slow.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 遅 forms many common Japanese words and compounds, highlighting its importance in daily conversations about time, speed, and events.
Time & Schedule Related:
遅刻 (chikoku) — lateness, tardiness (e.g., for school, work).
遅延 (chien) — delay, postponement (e.g., train delay).
遅延証明書 (chien shōmeisho) — delay certificate (often issued by train companies).
遅い (osoi) — slow, late (adjective).
遅れる (okureru) — to be late, to be delayed (intransitive verb).
遅らす (okurasu) — to delay, to postpone (transitive verb).
手遅れ (teokure) — too late, beyond help.
遅くとも (osokutomo) — at the latest.
Action & Progress Related:
遅滞 (chitai) — delay, stagnation, backlog.
遅滞なく (chitainaku) — without delay, promptly.
遅速 (chisoku) — speed (slow or fast).
早いか遅いか (hayai ka osoi ka) — whether early or late, sooner or later.
遅まき (osomaki) — late blooming (literally, or figuratively for a late start).
遅まきながら (osomaki nagara) — belatedly, better late than never.
Figurative Use:
遅咲き (osozaki) — late bloomer (person who achieves success later in life).
遅筆 (chihitsu) — slow writer.
Example Sentences
バスが遅いので、早めに家を出ましょう。
Basu ga osoi node, hayame ni ie o demashō.
Since the bus is slow, let's leave home a bit early.
電車が遅延していますのでご注意ください。
Densha ga chien shite imasu node gochūi kudasai.
The train is delayed, so please be careful.
会議に遅刻しないように急ぎましょう。
Kaigi ni chikoku shinai yō ni isogimashō.
Let's hurry so we don't miss the meeting.
彼はいつも仕事が遅いです。
Kare wa itsumo shigoto ga osoi desu.
He is always slow at work.
出発を30分遅らせることにしました。
Shuppatsu o sanjuppun okuraseru koto ni shimashita.
We decided to delay our departure by 30 minutes.
もう手遅れになると思いましたが、まだ間に合いました。
Mō teokure ni naru to omoimashita ga, mada ma ni aimashita.
I thought it would be too late, but we still made it in time.
彼は人生の遅咲きタイプだと自分で言っています。
Kare wa jinsei no osozaki taipu da to jibun de itte imasu.
He says he's a late bloomer in life.
電車の遅延で、学校に少し遅れてしまいました。
Densha no chien de, gakkō ni sukoshi okurete shimaimashita.
I was a little late for school due to a train delay.
返事が遅くなりまして、大変申し訳ございません。
Henji ga osoku narimashite, taihen mōshiwake gozaimasen.
I apologize profusely for the late reply.
Memory Tip
To remember 遅, visualize a journey (辶, the 'road' radical) that's being obstructed by a 'rhinoceros' (犀, the phonetic component). Picture a massive, slow-moving rhinoceros blocking your path on a road. This image immediately makes you late and slows your progress. The 'road' radical suggests movement, but the 'rhinoceros' makes that movement incredibly 'slow' or causes a 'delay.' Thus, 'a slow rhinoceros on a road' helps you connect the kanji 遅 to its meanings of 'slow,' 'late,' and 'delay.'