鈍

See also: 钝

鈍	U+920D, 鈍 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-920D

← 鈌
[U+920C]

CJK Unified Ideographs

鈎 →
[U+920E]

Translingual

Han character

鈍 (Kangxi radical 167, 金+4, 12 strokes, Cangjie input 金心山 (CPU), four-corner 8511₇, composition ⿰釒屯)

Derived characters

𢵶𡚃𫫲

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1298, character 13
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 40219
Dae Jaweon: page 1801, character 6
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4175, character 3
Unihan data for U+920D

Chinese

trad.		鈍
simp.		钝

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 鈍
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *duːns): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 屯 (OC *duːn, *tun).

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-t(u/i)l (“dull; blunt”). Compare Tibetan རྟུལ (rtul, “dull; blunt”).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): dùn (dun⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄉㄨㄣˋ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): den⁴
Cantonese (Jyutping): deon⁶
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): thun

(Hailu, HRS): tun^˖

(Changting, Changting Pinyin): teng⁵
Eastern Min (BUC): dông / dŏng
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): dong⁵ / duong⁵
Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): tūn / tǔn / tun / tùn
Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶den / ²den

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: dùn
  - Zhuyin: ㄉㄨㄣˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: dùn
  - Wade–Giles: tun⁴
  - Yale: dwùn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: duenn
  - Palladius: дунь (dunʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tu̯ən⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: den⁴
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: den
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tən²¹³/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: deon⁶
  - Yale: deuhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: doen⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: dên⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɵn²²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: thun
  - Hakka Romanization System: tun
  - Hagfa Pinyim: tun⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /tʰun⁵⁵/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: tun^˖
  - Sinological IPA: /tʰun³³/
- (Changting)
  - Changting Pinyin: teng⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /tʰeŋ²¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: dông / dŏng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /touŋ²⁴²/, /touŋ⁵⁵/
Puxian Min
- (Putian)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: dong⁵
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: deōng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tɔŋ¹¹/
- (Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: duong⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tuoŋ²¹/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tūn
  - Tâi-lô: tūn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: dun
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /tun⁴¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /tun³³/
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /tun²²/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tǔn
  - Tâi-lô: tǔn
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /tun²²/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tun
  - Tâi-lô: tun
  - Phofsit Daibuun: dwn
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /tun⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tùn
  - Tâi-lô: tùn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: duxn
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /tun¹¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /tun²¹/

Note:

Xiamen, Zhangzhou:
- tun/tūn - “not sharp”;
- tūn - “stupid”.
Quanzhou:
- tūn - literary;
- tǔn - vernacular.
Taiwan:
- tun/tūn - “not sharp”;
- tùn/tūn - “stupid”.

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo)
  - Wugniu: ⁶den
  - MiniDict: den^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³den
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /dən²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /dən²³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /den¹¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /dəŋ¹¹³/
- (Northern: Haining)
  - Wugniu: ²den
  - Sinological IPA (Haining): /dən¹¹³/

Middle Chinese: dwonH

Rime
Character	鈍
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	定 (7)
Final (韻)	魂 (55)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	徒困切
Baxter	dwonH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/duən^H/
Pan Wuyun	/duon^H/
Shao Rongfen	/duən^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/dwən^H/
Li Rong	/duən^H/
Wang Li	/duən^H/
Bernhard Karlgren	/dʱuən^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	dùn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	deon⁶

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*duːns/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	鈍
Reading #	1/1
Phonetic component	屯
Rime group	文
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	鈍
Old Chinese	/*duːns/

Definitions

鈍

dull; blunt; not sharp
dull-witted; dim-witted; slow-witted; stupid
a surname
(Northern Wu) to satirise; to mock; to disparage
- 1996, Tang Zhenzhu, Wu Xinmin, Wu Xinxian, 寧波方言詞典, page 254:
  
  該閒話是來的屯渠啦，渠還聽勿出 [Ningbonese, trad.]
  该闲话是来的屯渠啦，渠还听勿出 [Ningbonese, simp.]
  ⁷kiq ²ghae-wo₆ ⁶zy ⁶le-tiq₇ ⁶den-ji₆ ⁰la ⁶ji ²gha ¹thin-vaq₈-tshyuq₇ [Wugniu]
  All this stuff that's said is supposed to be mocking him, and he doesn't even realise it!
- 1958, 三毛學生意 [Sanmao's Apprenticeship]‎^[3], spoken by 王先生 [Mr Wang] (范哈哈 [Fan Haha]):
  
  本事倒沒有學會，啊？鈍師父的本事倒不錯嘛。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
  本事倒没有学会，啊？钝师父的本事倒不错嘛。 [Shanghainese, simp.]
  ⁵pen-zy₆ ⁵tau ⁸meq-yeu₂ ⁸yaq-wei₆ ⁰a ⁶den ¹sy-vu₆-tiq₇ ⁵pen-zy₆ ⁵tau ⁷peq-tsho₅-meq₈ [Wugniu]
  Let's see, you haven't learned one honest skill yet, but I see you've become very masterful at making fun of your Sifu now, haven't you?

Synonyms

(blunt):

edit

頑鈍 / 顽钝 (wándùn) (literary)

Antonyms

(antonym(s) of “blunt”):

edit

尖 (jiān)
尖利 (jiānlì)
尖銳 / 尖锐 (jiānruì)
淩厲 / 凌厉 (línglì) (literary)
犀利 (xīlì)
鋩 / 铓 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
鋒利 / 锋利 (fēnglì)
銳利 / 锐利 (ruìlì)
飛快 / 飞快 (fēikuài) (extremely sharp)

Compounds

References

莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “钝”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 57.
周存 [Zhōu, Cún], editor (2023), “钝”, in 长汀话词典 CHANGTINGHUA CIDIAN [Dictionary of Changting Dialect] (overall work in Hakka and Mandarin), Guangzhou: 世界图书出版有限公司 [World Book Publishing Co., Ltd.], →ISBN, page 655.

Japanese

Kanji

鈍

(Jōyō kanji)

dull, blunt (of edge)
dull, stupid, slow, slow-witted (of senses)

Readings

Go-on: どん (don, Jōyō)
Kan-on: とん (ton)
Kun: にぶい (nibui, 鈍い, Jōyō)、にぶる (niburu, 鈍る, Jōyō)、のろい (noroi, 鈍い)、なまる (namaru, 鈍る)、なまくら (namakura, 鈍)

Compounds

鈍角(どんかく) (donkaku)
鈍感(どんかん) (donkan)
鈍麻(どんま) (donma)
鈍磨(どんま) (donma)
愚鈍(ぐどん) (gudon)
遅鈍(ちどん) (chidon)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
鈍
にび Grade: S
kun'yomi

The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of classical verb 鈍ぶ (nibu, “to become dark gray”).^[1] In modern Japanese, reanalyzed as a shortening of compound term 鈍色 (nibiiro, “dark gray”).^[1]^[2]

First cited to the late 900s.^[1]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) にび [nìbíꜜ] (Odaka – [2])^[2]
IPA^(key): [ɲ̟ibʲi]

Noun

鈍(にび) • (nibi)

short for 鈍色 (nibiiro): dark gray

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
鈍
なまくら Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
鈍ら

The first portion nama is from 生 (nama). This usually has a sense of raw but also has overtones of unprocessed, unready and thus some semantic overlap with, and is cognate with, 鈍る (namaru, “to become dull, especially due to lack of proper tempering”).

The second portion kura is of uncertain derivation.

The term is first cited to 1711.^[1]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) なまくら [nàmákúrá] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
IPA^(key): [na̠ma̠kɯ̟ɾa̠]

Adjective

鈍(なまくら) • (namakura) -na (adnominal 鈍(なまくら)な (namakura na), adverbial 鈍(なまくら)に (namakura ni))

(uncommon) dull of edge, unable to cut well
(uncommon) dull of mind, lazy, insipid

Noun

鈍(なまくら) • (namakura)

a blunt blade
a lazy person, a dullard
Synonym: 怠け者 (namakemono)

Derived terms

鈍(なまくら)刀(がたな) (namakura-gatana, “a dull sword”)
鈍(なまくら)武(ぶ)士(し) (namakura bushi, “a warrior with a dull sword; a warrior with no ambition”)
鈍(なまくら)物(もの) (namakuramono, “a dull blade”)
鈍(なまくら)者(もの) (namakuramono, “a lazy person”)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
鈍
Grade: S

Shift in usage, repurposing the stem of 形容詞 (keiyōshi, “-i adjective”) 鈍い (noroi, “slow of thought or action”) as a 形容動詞 (keiyō dōshi, “-na adjective”).^[3]^[4]

First cited to a work from 1891.^[4]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) のろ [nóꜜrò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2]
IPA^(key): [no̞ɾo̞]

Adjective

鈍(のろ) • (noro) -na (adnominal 鈍(のろ)な (noro na), adverbial 鈍(のろ)に (noro ni))

[1891] mentally slow, dull-witted, stupid
[1891] physically slow, slow of action

Inflection

Inflection of 鈍
Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	鈍だろ	のろだろ	noro daro
Continuative (連用形)	鈍で	のろで	noro de
Terminal (終止形)	鈍だ	のろだ	noro da
Attributive (連体形)	鈍な	のろな	noro na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	鈍なら	のろなら	noro nara
Imperative (命令形)	鈍であれ	のろであれ	noro de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	鈍ではない鈍じゃない	のろではないのろじゃない	noro de wa nai noro ja nai
Informal past	鈍だった	のろだった	noro datta
Informal negative past	鈍ではなかった鈍じゃなかった	のろではなかったのろじゃなかった	noro de wa nakatta noro ja nakatta
Formal	鈍です	のろです	noro desu
Formal negative	鈍ではありません鈍じゃありません	のろではありませんのろじゃありません	noro de wa arimasen noro ja arimasen
Formal past	鈍でした	のろでした	noro deshita
Formal negative past	鈍ではありませんでした鈍じゃありませんでした	のろではありませんでしたのろじゃありませんでした	noro de wa arimasen deshita noro ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	鈍で	のろで	noro de
Conditional	鈍なら（ば）	のろなら（ば）	noro nara (ba)
Provisional	鈍だったら	のろだったら	noro dattara
Volitional	鈍だろう	のろだろう	noro darō
Adverbial	鈍に	のろに	noro ni
Degree	鈍さ	のろさ	norosa

Noun

鈍(のろ) • (noro)

dullard, dimwit

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Shōgaku Tosho (1988), 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ “鈍”, in デジタル大辞泉 [Digital Daijisen]‎^[1] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 “鈍”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[2] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006

“^△鈍”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[4] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

Korean

Hanja

鈍 (eumhun 무딜 둔 (mudil dun))

hanja form^? of 둔 (“blunt, obtuse”)
hanja form^? of 둔 (“dull”)
hanja form^? of 둔 (“flat”)
hanja form^? of 둔 (“dull-witted”)

Vietnamese

Han character

鈍: Hán Nôm readings: độn

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

[KDJ-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Shōgaku Tosho (1988), 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJR-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DDJS-3] “鈍”, in デジタル大辞泉 [Digital Daijisen]‎^[1] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months

[KDJ2-noro-4] 4.0 ^4.1 “鈍”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[2] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]