Definitions

used in 邋遢[lā ta]; Taiwan pr. [tà]

Etymology phono-semantic

walk

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

遢 is a phono-semantic compound with the movement radical 辶 (the walking radical) and the phonetic component 晏. It functions almost exclusively within the binome 邋遢, which describes a sloppy or untidy appearance. The radical 辶 hints at an original meaning related to a dragging gait, which broadened to encompass general physical disorganization in habits or attire. As a bound morpheme, it lacks an independent semantic identity or complex evolutionary history, serving specifically to convey a sense of slovenliness.