Definition
Feeling tired and lacking energy, often after working hard or doing a lot of activity.
Example
Ele chegou em casa muito cansado depois do trabalho.
Show translation
He arrived home very tired after work.
Etymology
From the verb *cansar* ("to tire"), derived from Latin *campsare* ("to turn, to go around a headland"), via Old Portuguese. The Latin root came from Greek *kamptein* ("to bend, to turn"), reflecting the idea of effort wearing one down over time.
Cultural note
Brazilians often use *cansado* not just for physical tiredness but also for emotional exhaustion — for example, *"Estou cansado dessa situação"* ("I'm tired of this situation"). The colloquial intensifier *morto de cansado* ("dead tired") is very common in everyday speech. Don't confuse with Spanish *cansado*, which has the identical meaning — a rare case of a perfect cognate!