wave · wandering

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 浪 has 10 strokes and occurs in words such as 浪人 and 浪費 beyond its basic meaning of waves.
• Basic usage: 浪人 is read ろうにん, and 浪費 is read ろうひ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Retaking entrance exams and a masterless samurai
  • 一年浪人して refers to spending a year preparing to retake entrance exams.
  • 時代小説の浪人 refers to a masterless samurai in a historical novel. The people in these two contexts should not receive the same gloss.
• What is wasted
  • 資源の浪費 means wasting resources.
  • 時間を浪費しないよう means so as not to waste time. 浪費 is not restricted to money.