延ばす
のばす · nobasu · JLPT N3 · verb-godan
to extend
📏⏳ 延 has 廴, the long-stride radical: stretch it farther. Sounds like no bus
No bus, so you stretch your walk. 延 is the 延 of 延長 (extension) and 延期 (postponement). Use 延ばす to stretch time or distance, like a deadline or a route. Use 伸ばす to stretch bodies and growth, like your arms or your hair.
延 — 廴 (long stride) + 㥯/丿 + 止 (foot)
延 originally depicted a foot (止) on a road or path (廴), suggesting walking a long way. From this came the meanings 'to extend,' 'to prolong,' and 'to delay.' The modern form retains 廴 on the left as the semantic clue for movement and extension.