Meaning & readings

prolong, stretching

On’yomi エン
Kun’yomi の.びる、の.べる、の.べ、の.ばす
Nanori たか、のぶ、のべ

Origin

The character combines two elements to express the idea of prolonging or stretching. The left component 廴 is a classifying radical that represents movement or a path extending forward. The right component , which means "correct" or "straight," adds the sense of something proceeding in a direct line. Together, these parts suggest something that moves straightforwardly outward and continues on, which naturally conveys the meaning of stretching out or drawing something longer.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).

8 strokes

Components

  • meaning part nyoc
  • radical bottom-left wrap

Common words

  • 延べ のべ futures
  • 延期 えんき postponement; deferment
  • 延滞 えんたい arrears; (being) overdue
  • 延長 えんちょう extension; elongation
  • 延命 えんめい keeping alive longer; prolonging life
  • 遅延 ちえん delay; latency
  • 延々 えんえん endlessly; continuously
  • 蔓延る はびこる to become overgrown; to grow thick

Reference

Strokes
8
Kangxi radical
54
Grade
Grade 6 (Kyōiku)
Frequency rank
#747 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 2
Unicode
U+05EF6