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鈍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鈍dùnblunt, obtuse; dull, flat; dim-wittedx, 12 strokes, radical 釒, rank #77244, Very Hard
dùn(dun4) T4
  1. 1blunt, obtuse; dull, flat; dim-witted
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March 24, 2026

鈍dùn(dun4)

The character 鈍 (dùn) primarily means 'blunt' or 'obtuse,' often referring to objects such as knives that are not sharp. It can also describe someone who is dull-witted or slow to understand things, emphasizing a lack of sharpness in intellect or perception. In various contexts, it may convey a sense of being flat or lacking in brightness.

Strokes12Radical釒Frequency#77244DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'sharp' versus 'blunt' can extend metaphorically to intelligence and quick-wittedness. Being described as 鈍 may carry a slightly negative connotation in educational or professional settings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a dull knife (鈍) that is unable to cut through anything, representing the character's meaning of bluntness. The character's radical, 钅 (metal), hints at tools made of metal that can become dull, while the pronunciation 'dùn' sounds like 'dull' – both in sound and meaning.

Meanings of 鈍

dùn(dun4)
1blunt, obtuse; dull, flat; dim-witted
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鈍

鈍Simplified
12Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鈍

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Podcast: 鈍

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AI Study Notes for 鈍

Quick Contrast

钝 (dùn) vs 迟钝 (chídùn) — use 鈍 for a more general description of bluntness or dullness, while 迟钝 specifically emphasizes slowness in reaction or understanding.

Usage Notes

When using 鈍, be careful to distinguish between physical dullness (e.g., a knife) and intellectual dullness (e.g., a person's understanding). It is typically used in informal contexts and might not be appropriate in formal discussions. Common collocations include 鈍刀 (dùn dāo - blunt knife) and 鈍感 (dùn gǎn - dull sensation).

HSK Study Tips

Although 鈍 is not a part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other words that describe characteristics or qualities, like 锋 (fēng - sharp). Students should focus on recognizing the character's form and pronunciation, as well as its application in daily conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鈍 with 锋 (fēng - sharp) and incorrectly use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我有一个鈍刀' (I have a sharp knife) is incorrect, as it should be '我有一个锋利的刀' (I have a sharp knife).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鈍

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Etymology of 鈍

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 屯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鈍.

Memory Hint

metal

Semantic (meaning)釒
+
Phonetic (sound)屯
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鈍

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 屯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鈍.

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half屯 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 鈍? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 鈍?

Decomposition of 鈍

IDS Structure⿰釒屯
鈍Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
屯tun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鈍?

How to say blunt, obtuse; dull, flat; dim-witted in Chinese

“blunt, obtuse; dull, flat; dim-witted” in Chinese is鈍dùn

The character 鈍 (dùn) primarily means 'blunt' or 'obtuse,' often referring to objects such as knives that are not sharp. It can also describe someone who is dull-witted or slow to understand things, emphasizing a lack of sharpness in intellect or perception. In various contexts, it may convey a sense of being flat or lacking in brightness.

When to use 鈍

When using 鈍, be careful to distinguish between physical dullness (e.g., a knife) and intellectual dullness (e.g., a person's understanding). It is typically used in informal contexts and might not be appropriate in formal discussions. Common collocations include 鈍刀 (dùn dāo - blunt knife) and 鈍感 (dùn gǎn - dull sensation).

鈍 or something close to it

钝 (dùn) vs 迟钝 (chídùn) — use 鈍 for a more general description of bluntness or dullness, while 迟钝 specifically emphasizes slowness in reaction or understanding.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鈍 with 锋 (fēng - sharp) and incorrectly use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我有一个鈍刀' (I have a sharp knife) is incorrect, as it should be '我有一个锋利的刀' (I have a sharp knife).

Write 鈍

鈍

Practice writing 鈍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 鈍

Words Containing This Character7
迟钝chídùnslow in one's reactions遲鈍
钝dùnblunt鈍
愚钝stupid愚鈍
钝角obtuse angle鈍角
鲁钝stupid魯鈍
成败利钝success and failure成敗利鈍
顽钝stupid頑鈍
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 迟钝 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鈍

Common collocations include 鈍刀 (blunt knife) and 鈍感 (dull sensation).

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