鈍にぶい

に

ぶ

い

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

鈍い · i-adjective

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	鈍にぶい	鈍にぶくない
Polite	鈍にぶいです	鈍にぶくないですalso 鈍にぶくありません
Past polite	鈍にぶかったです	鈍にぶくなかったですalso 鈍にぶくありませんでした
Past	鈍にぶかった	鈍にぶくなかった
Te-form	鈍にぶくて	鈍にぶくなくて
Adverbial	鈍にぶく
Conditional	鈍にぶければ	鈍にぶくなければ
Tara conditional	鈍にぶかったら	鈍にぶくなかったら

Meanings

i-adjective

dull; blunt

Describes a blade, edge, or point that has lost its sharpness.

この包ほう丁ちょうは鈍にぶいから、研とがないと切きれない。
This kitchen knife is dull, so it won't cut unless I sharpen it.

i-adjective

thickheaded; obtuse; stupid

Refers to a person who is slow to understand or lacking in mental sharpness. Can be insulting.

彼かれは鈍にぶいから、冗じょう談だんが通つうじないことが多おおい。
He's thickheaded, so jokes often don't get through to him.

i-adjective

dull; dim; muted

Used for sounds, colors, light, or sensations that lack brightness, clarity, or intensity.

鈍にぶい音おとが壁かべの向むこうから聞きこえた。
A dull sound came from the other side of the wall.
この部屋へやは照しょう明めいが鈍にぶくて、本ほんが読よみにくい。
The lighting in this room is dim, making it hard to read.

i-adjective

slow; sluggish; lethargic

Describes movement, reaction, or activity that is lacking speed or energy.

朝あさは体からだが鈍にぶくて、なかなか動うごけない。
My body feels sluggish in the morning and I can't get moving easily.

i-adjective

insensitive; unperceptive; dull

Refers to a person's senses, intuition, or emotional awareness being slow or lacking sharpness.

彼かれは人ひとの気き持もちに鈍にぶいところがある。
He can be a bit insensitive to other people's feelings.

See all 72 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉の反はん応のうが鈍にぶいfor someone's reaction to be slow or dull
疲つかれているせいか、彼かれの反はん応のうが鈍にぶい。
Maybe because he's tired, his reactions are slow.
刃はが鈍にぶいfor a blade to be dull
このナイフは刃はが鈍にぶいので切きれにくい。
This knife's blade is dull, so it doesn't cut well.
感かん覚かくが鈍にぶいfor one's senses to be dull
寒さむさで手ての感かん覚かくが鈍にぶい。
My hands feel dull from the cold.
動うごきが鈍にぶいfor someone's movements to be sluggish
睡すい眠みん不ぶ足そくで動うごきが鈍にぶい。
I'm sluggish because of lack of sleep.
光ひかりが鈍にぶいfor light to be dim or muted
夕ゆう暮ぐれの光ひかりが鈍にぶい色いろを放はなっていた。
The evening light gave off a dim, muted color.

Expressions

鈍にぶい音おとdull sound; muffled sound
頭あたまの鈍にぶいdim-witted; slow; dull
神しん経けいの鈍にぶいinsensitive; thick-skinned

Kanji

鈍dull, slow, foolish

Related words

呪のろいN1sense 4
のろい focuses purely on slow physical speed, while 鈍い can also describe dull senses, dim light, or a slow mind.
愚おろかN1sense 2
愚か is a stronger, more direct word for foolishness, whereas 鈍い softens the criticism to mean merely slow to understand.
鈍どん感かんN1sense 5
鈍感 is a noun/adjectival-noun specifically about emotional or sensory insensitivity, while 鈍い is a broader i-adjective covering many kinds of dullness.
遅おそいN5sense 4
遅い simply means slow in speed or timing, while 鈍い emphasizes sluggishness or lack of responsiveness rather than just low speed.

Opposites

鋭するどいN3
鋭い describes something sharp, keen, or perceptive, the opposite of 鈍い's dullness or slowness across blades, senses, and minds.
シャープN1
シャープ describes something sharp or keen, while 鈍い describes something dull or slow, the direct opposite.
鋭えい利り
鈍い means dull or blunt, the direct opposite of 鋭利 whether describing a blade's edge or a person's mental sharpness.
機き敏びんN1
鈍い describes someone slow to notice or react, the direct opposite of the sharp, quick-witted 機敏.

Don't confuse with· 5

鈍どん感かんN1
鈍い is an i-adjective covering general dullness or slowness (including physical or mental sluggishness), while 鈍感 is a na-adjective focused specifically on insensitivity to feelings or subtle cues.
のろいN1
鈍い（にぶい）describes a blunt blade, dulled senses, or a slow-witted mind, while 鈍い（のろい）focuses on slow movement or being mentally slow in a critical, everyday tone.
のろまN1
鈍い is an adjective for general dullness or slowness (of a knife, reflexes, etc.), while のろま is a noun/adjectival noun that labels a person as a dunce.

Show 2 more

遅おそいN5
鈍い usually means 'dull' or 'blunt' (as of senses or blades), not 'slow' like 遅い, though it can describe mental slowness.
鈍にぶるN1
鈍い is the adjective describing a dull or slow state, while 鈍る is the verb describing the process of becoming dull or slow.

Word family

鈍にぶるN1
become blunt; grow dull · weaken; decline; falter
にぶちん
dullard; insensitive person; slow-witted person
鈍にぶらす
blunt; dull; weaken
鈍にぶ黄き色いろ
dull yellow; mustard yellow

Written forms

鈍にぶいUsage88%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
にぶいUsage12%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing and when the kanji is not needed.

Etymology

The kanji 鈍 combines the metal radical 金 with 屯, suggesting something blunt or not sharp. The reading にぶい is a native Japanese adjective. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.