愚钝 (yú dùn) — slow-witted, stupid | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

adjective

slow-wittedstupid

愚钝，。
Tā kàn qǐ lái hěn yú dùn, dàn qí shí hěn cōng ming.
He looks slow-witted, but actually he's very smart.
愚钝。
Bú yào yīn wèi bié rén yú dùn jiù cháo xiào tā men.
Don't mock others just because they are slow-witted.
愚钝，。
Tā jué de zì jǐ hěn yú dùn, suǒ yǐ nǔ lì xué xí.
He feels he is very slow-witted, so he studies hard.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

愚yúfoolish

钝dùnblunt/slow

愚 and 钝 both convey dullness, together describing a slow, stupid mind.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

禺心愚

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

禺

禺yú愚yú

Same sound today

愚 pairs 心 (heart) with 禺 for the sound; the heart part relates to the sense of foolishness.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鈍; 钝 is its simplified writing.

金屯鈍

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

屯

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鈍 combines 金, metal, with 屯, a sound part.

Appears in