懒 (lǎn) - Lazy, indolent, slothful & describes a person who avoids work or exertion.

懒Tone 3

lǎn ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

懒 · lǎn

Lazy, indolent, slothful;

describes a person who avoids work or exertion.

Lazy, indolent, slothfuldescribes a person who avoids work or exertion.

Usage highlights

Lazy personToo lazy to do somethingLazy bonesLazy and slowLazy attitudeLazy habit

Synonyms

  • 惰— inert, sluggish, lazy
  • 怠— idle, negligent, slack
  • 散— loose, scattered, undisciplined

Antonyms

  • 勤— diligent, industrious
  • 奋— energetic, vigorous
  • 努— to strive, exert effort

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is too lazy to clean his room (懒得打扫房间).
  • Don't be lazy about your homework (不要对作业偷懒).
  • I feel too lazy to go out today (我今天懒得出去).
  • Lazy people often procrastinate (懒人常常拖延).

Collocations

  • Lazy person(懒人)
  • Too lazy to do something(懒得)
  • Lazy bones(懒骨头)
  • Lazy and slow(懒慢)
  • Lazy attitude(懒态)
  • Lazy habit(懒习)

Idioms

  • Food and clothing without work(衣来伸手，饭来张口)
  • Sitting idle and eating(坐吃山空)
  • Lazy like a pig(懒得像猪)
  • Lazy and gluttonous(好吃懒做)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, laziness is strongly discouraged and seen as a moral failing.
  • The character contains the heart/mind radical (忄), suggesting laziness is a state of mind.
  • Contrasted with diligence (勤), which is highly valued in Confucian ethics.
  • Often used humorously or self-deprecatingly in modern contexts.

FAQ