noun

  1. fruitless effort, wasted effort, abortive scheme, futility.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
徒労 とろう

Contained Kanji Breakdown

on foot, junior, emptiness
ト あだ かち (4th, N3)
stop, linger, loiter
テキ たたず.む (Kentei 1)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
human radical (no. 9)
run
はし.る ソウ はしり (2nd, N4)
soil, earth, ground
ド つち は (1st, N5)
stop, halt
と.まる シ どめ (2nd, N4)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク うらな.う うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
labor, thank for, reward for
ロウ ろう.する いたわ.る (4th, N3)
to learn(𦥯) variant
wa-shaped crown radical (no. 14)
ベキ (Kentei 1)
power, strength, strong
リョク ちから リキ (1st, N4)