‘惰学’ is a compound noun meaning 'neglecting study' or 'academic neglect'. It combines 惰 (duò), meaning 'laziness', 'idleness', or 'lack of diligence', and 学 (xué), meaning 'study' or 'learning'. Together, they describe the habitual failure to apply oneself to academic work — not occasional procrastination, but a persistent pattern of avoidance, lack of effort, or disengagement from learning responsibilities.

This term is commonly used in educational, parental, or psychological contexts to diagnose or discuss underperformance rooted in motivation deficits rather than ability. It carries a mild-to-moderate negative connotation and often appears in formal reports, counseling discussions, or articles about student development. While not slang, it’s more common in written or semi-formal speech than casual conversation, where phrases like '不爱学习' (doesn’t like studying) or '学习不认真' (studies carelessly) are preferred.