Learn a Chinese Character - 惰

1. Character Basics

Radical: 忄 (Heart radical)

Stroke Count: 12 (Number of strokes: 12)

Structure Analysis: 形声字，从忄（心理状态），隋声（suí，表音）。本义指懈怠（如"懒惰"），现指不积极（如"惰性"）(Phonetic-semantic character: "忄" (heart) + "隋" (phonetic). Originally meant "slackness", now means "lack of initiative".)

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Duò (Fourth tone)

3. Meaning

The core meaning of "惰" is laziness or indolence. It describes a state of being unwilling to work or make an effort, often characterized by a lack of motivation or initiative. "惰"的核心含义是懒惰或懒散。它描述一种不愿工作或努力的状态，通常表现为缺乏动力或主动性。

4. Common Words

• 懒惰 (lǎn duò) Laziness
• 怠惰 (dài duò) Sloth
• 惰性 (duò xìng) Inertia
• 惰气 (duò qì) Apathy

5. Grammar & Usage

"惰" is most commonly used as a morpheme in compound words rather than independently. It typically appears before or after other characters to form words describing different aspects of laziness or inactivity. "惰"最常用于复合词中作为语素，而不是独立使用。它通常出现在其他字符之前或之后，形成描述懒惰或不活跃不同方面的词语。

Example constructions:

• 作形容词：懒惰的人 (lǎn duò de rén) - A lazy person
• 作名词：克服惰性 (kè fú duò xìng) - Overcome inertia
• 作副词：惰怠地工作 (duò dài de gōng zuò) - Work sluggishly

6. Cultural Background

In traditional Chinese culture, laziness (惰) is generally regarded as a negative trait. Confucian teachings emphasize diligence and hard work as virtues, and laziness is often associated with a lack of self-discipline and responsibility. Many proverbs and idioms in Chinese reflect this attitude, such as "业精于勤，荒于嬉" (Excellence in work comes from diligence, and荒废 from play). 在中国传统文化中，懒惰通常被视为负面特质。儒家思想强调勤奋和努力工作是美德，而懒惰常与缺乏自律和责任感联系在一起。中文中有许多谚语和成语反映了这种态度，如"业精于勤，荒于嬉"。

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Combine "忄" (heart) + "隋" (collapsed) → Collapsed motivation. 组合"忄"+"隋"→ 动力崩塌的心理状态。