dullness; slowness of mind; stupidity
Literary or formal term for mental slowness or dullness; not used in everyday conversation. Often implies a lack of sharpness or wit.
彼の遅鈍な反応にいらだちを覚えた。
I felt irritated by his dull-witted response.
遅鈍な頭脳ではこの問題は解けない。
A slow mind cannot solve this problem.
Compound of 遅 (slow, late) and 鈍 (dull, blunt). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; it is a Sino-Japanese word used in formal or literary contexts.