Japanese kanji 鈍: dullness and slow reactions

The idea

鈍 has 12 strokes. Follow the linked diagram. 鈍い is にぶい, 鈍る is にぶる, and the compound 鈍痛 is どんつう.

Examples

• このナイフは鈍にぶいです。This knife is blunt.
• 私わたしの反応はんのうは鈍にぶかったです。My reaction was slow.
• 肩かたに鈍にぶい痛いたみを感かんじます。I feel a dull pain in my shoulder.
• 売上うりあげの伸のびが鈍にぶりました。Sales growth has slowed.
• 隣となりの部屋へやから鈍にぶい音おとがしました。The sound of a dull thud came from the next room.
• 彼かれの嗅覚きゅうかくが鈍にぶくなりました。His sense of smell has become less sensitive.

Watch out

鈍い can describe a blunt blade, slow reaction or dull sound; the meaning depends on context. 鈍痛 uses どん, not にぶ.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 鈍い in hiragana.

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   にぶい

   鈍い is にぶい: a knife can be blunt. Keep the final い in the reading.

2. Write the reading of 鈍痛 in hiragana.

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   どんつう

   鈍痛 is どんつう, a dull pain. The compound uses the reading どん.

3. Choose the kanji for a blunt knife: ＿いナイフ［鈍／鋭］.

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   鈍

   鈍 makes 鈍い, blunt. 鋭い means sharp, the opposite here.

Use it today

Write 鈍 using the diagram, cover the table, and read 鈍い and 鈍痛. Make a sentence with one.