rough, wild, desolate
荒い（あらい）、荒れる（あれる）、荒野（こうや）
rough/wild, to be rough, wasteland
On-reading (コウ) is used in compounds; kun-reading (あら(い)) is used standalone or with okurigana. Appears in many compounds — memorize the key ones rather than the kanji in isolation. Has multiple meanings (rough; wild; desolate). Context determines which applies — pay attention in reading passages. This kanji forms verbs/adjectives with okurigana. Practice both the word form and compound forms.
From the JLP Quiz question bank — the word in the form it is actually tested in.
長年荒れ果てていた廃墟が美しい公園に生まれ変わり、感激___。
Answer: にたえない
