緩

• Physical: Loose, slack, or relaxed; specifically the removal of tension (e.g., a bowstring).
• Temporal/Pace: Slow, leisurely, or gradual; denotes a measured pace rather than sluggishness.
• Administrative/Action: To postpone, delay, or defer.
• Qualitative/Psychological: Composed, unhurried, or lenient.

• Adjective: Modifying speed, tension, or demeanor.
• Verb: The act of loosening something physical or the act of delaying an event.
• Adverb: Often appears in reduplicated form (緩緩) to describe gradual or lingering movement. When appearing singly before a verb, it may function as "gradually" or "slowly."

• 緩 vs. 遲 (chí): While both relate to slowness, 遲 often implies being late or failing to meet a required standard, whereas 緩 describes the quality of the speed itself as deliberate or leisurely.
• 緩 vs. 鬆 (sōng): Both mean "loose," but 鬆 typically refers to a state of looseness (e.g., baggy clothing), while 緩 emphasizes the lack of tension or the process of slackening.

Simplified variant: U+7F13.

The glyph is rooted in the physical slackening of a cord or string (糸).

When encountering this glyph in the context of decrees or appointments, distinguish "postponement" from "cancellation." The usage implies that the intention remains, but the timing has been relaxed.