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Kotomora

鈍

dull, slow, foolish, blunt

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ドン

Kun'yomi

  • にぶ.い
  • にぶ.る
  • にぶ-
  • なま.る
  • なまく.ら

Meaning

鈍 centers on a lack of sharpness or quickness: something dull, blunt, slow, or mentally sluggish. The meanings extend naturally from physical bluntness to slow-wittedness.

Most common words using 鈍

20 of 51
  • 鈍いにぶい
    N3

    dull (e.g. a knife); blunt

  • 鈍いのろい
    N1

    thickheaded; obtuse; stupid

  • 鈍感どんかん
    N1

    thickheaded; insensitive; dull; thick-skinned

  • 鈍るにぶる
    N1

    to become blunt; to grow dull

  • 鈍どん

    dull; slow; stupid; dull-brained

  • 鈍器どんき

    blunt weapon

  • 鈍化どんか

    becoming dull; slowing down

  • 愚鈍ぐどん

    stupid; dim-witted; dense; dull; obtuse; slow

  • 鈍行どんこう

    local train; slow train

  • 鈍痛どんつう

    dull pain

  • 鈍らなまくら

    blunt (e.g. sword); dull

  • 鈍重どんじゅう

    thickheaded; slow-witted; phlegmatic; stolid; bovine

  • 鈍甲どんこ

    dark sleeper (species of sleeper goby, Odontobutis obscura)

  • 鈍色にびいろ

    dark gray; dark grey

  • 鈍らすにぶらす

    to blunt; to dull; to weaken

  • 利鈍りどん

    sharp or blunt; bright or foolish

  • 勘が鈍るかんがにぶる

    to become insensitive; to become less perceptive; to lose one's touch; to get out of practice

  • 妻鈍ジーさいのろジー

    uxoriousness; being easy on one's wife; man who is easy on his wife

  • 椎鈍しいにび

    jet black

  • 決心が鈍るけっしんがにぶる

    to waver in one's resolution

Explore all words using 鈍 →

Study

Etymology

鈍 combines 金 (metal) with 屯, which likely contributes the sound and suggests something thick or blunt. The idea is metal that is not sharp.

Meaning mnemonic

Metal 金 that is thick and blunt 屯: a dull blade that cuts slowly, if at all.

Reading mnemonic

For ドン, imagine a dull blade that goes 'don' with a heavy, slow thud instead of slicing cleanly: don -> ドン.