“Dull / Slow / Foolish / Blunt” in Japanese is 鈍, read don, nibu, nama (どん, にぶ, にぶ-, なま, なまく). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 鈍感 (insensitive).
What does 鈍 mean?
| Kanji | 鈍 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Dull / Slow / Foolish / Blunt |
| Readings | どん, にぶ, にぶ-, なま, なまく |
| Grade | Master (高手 · secondary school) |
| Curriculum | Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2) |
| Example | 鈍感 (insensitive) |
鈍 is read don (どん) or nibu (にぶ) or nibu (にぶ-) or nama (なま) or namaku (なまく) depending on the word.
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side: