怠 — “Neglect / Laziness” in Japanese

Master (高手)たい, おこた, なま

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“Neglect / Laziness” in Japanese is 怠, read tai, okota, nama (たい, おこた, なま). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 怠慢 (negligence).

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What does 怠 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	怠
Meaning	Neglect / Laziness
Readings	たい, おこた, なま
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	怠慢 (negligence)

How to read 怠

怠 is read tai (たい) or okota (おこた) or nama (なま) depending on the word.

Words with 怠

怠慢

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Kanji read the same way as 怠

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28