About
The character 褛 (traditional: 褸) combines the semantic radical 衤 (yī), meaning clothing, with the phonetic component 娄 (lóu; traditional: 婁). It describes clothing that is ragged or tattered. The radical places it within the category of garments. This character is seldom used alone, primarily appearing in the compound 褴褛 (lánlǚ), which refers to shabby, threadbare clothes associated with poverty. The components together specify the physical state of worn-out apparel.
Etymology Hide