駑
slow horse, foolish fellow
Readings
On'yomi
- ド
Kun'yomi
- にぶ.い
Meaning
駑 centers on the idea of a slow, inferior horse, and by extension a dull or foolish person. The two given meanings are linked by this shared sense of sluggishness and lack of quality.
Most common words using 駑
- 駑鈍どどん
dull-witted; stupid; foolish
- 駑馬どば
hack; inferior horse
- 駑馬に鞭打つどばにむちうつ
to work hard; to keep one's nose to the grindstone; to whip a jaded horse
- 麒麟も老いぬれば駑馬に劣るきりんもおいぬればどばにおとる
even an outstanding person becomes inferior when getting old
Study
Etymology
駑 combines 馬 (horse) with 奴, which likely contributes the sound and carries a sense of low status or servitude, together suggesting an inferior horse.
Meaning mnemonic
A horse (馬) with a servant-like quality (奴) is a slow, low-grade horse. Picture a tired, sluggish horse that can barely keep up, and imagine calling a foolish person by the same name.
Reading mnemonic
For ド, imagine a slow horse plodding along a dirt road: the 'do' sound of each hoofbeat (do, do, do) matches the reading ド, and the horse is too dull to go faster.