褸

A phono-semantic compound consisting of:

衣 (clothing) — semantic component, clearly signals relation to garments;

婁 — phonetic component, supplying the sound (루 / lóu).

The character originally described garments that have become loose, frayed, or torn through prolonged wear.

褸 rarely appears independently; it is almost always used in the compound 襤褸.

남루 (襤褸) — shabby; ragged

남루하다 (襤褸하다) — to be in rags

Distinction from 襤

While both characters describe ragged clothing:

襤 — emphasizes the shabby, deteriorated state of the garment.

褸 — emphasizes the frayed, hanging, or torn condition of the fabric itself.

Together in 襤褸, they intensify the image of clothing reduced to rags through long wear.

Related characters:

衣 — clothing

襤 — ragged (companion character)

破 — torn

敝 — worn-out

In classical texts, 襤褸 often symbolizes:

- poverty;

- asceticism;

- humility;

- hardship.

It is frequently used to describe scholars, hermits, or monks living in simplicity.