How to say 'Slow' or 'Late' in Japanese | 遅い

word

Meaning

Slow, Late

Reading

Kanji

遅Slow, Late

Explanation

The Japanese adjective '遅い (おそい)' has two distinct meanings: 'slow' and 'late'. When used to mean 'slow', it describes something that takes a long time to move, happen, or be completed. For example: This train is slow「この電車は遅い」(このでんしゃはおそい). When used to mean 'late', it refers to something occurring after the expected or usual time. For example: I am late for the meeting「会議に遅い」(かいぎにおそい). The context in which '遅い' is used will determine whether it means 'slow' or 'late'. It is important to note that this adjective can describe both physical speed and timing, depending on the situation.

Part Of Speech

adjective

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

1543

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting