鈍
鈍·dull, blunt, slow
- On-yomi
- ドン
- Kun-yomi
- にぶ(い)にぶ(る)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 鈍い | にぶい | dull, slow, blunt |
| 鈍感 | どんかん | insensitive, thick-skinned |
| 鈍る | にぶる | to become dull, to weaken |
| 鈍行 | どんこう | local (slow) train |
Example sentences
このはさみは鈍くてよく切れない。
このはさみはにぶくてよくきれない。
These scissors are blunt and don't cut well.
彼は人の気持ちに鈍感だ。
かれはひとのきもちにどんかんだ。
He's insensitive to other people's feelings.
運動をやめたら体の動きが鈍った。
うんどうをやめたらからだのうごきがにぶった。
My body got sluggish after I stopped exercising.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 鈍感 as にぶかん — it is どんかん
- Using 遅い for a dull knife — slow is 遅い, blunt is 鈍い
Memory aid
Picture it
Metal (釒) left in a lump (屯, to gather) — never sharpened, so it stays blunt.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 鈍 mean?