訥

Lack of fluency or ease in speech. This encompasses physical impediments—such as stammering, mumbling, or halting articulation—as well as characterological traits. In early Confucian contexts, it may denote a deliberate lack of rhetorical polish or a cautious approach to speaking, prioritizing sincerity over glibness (巧).

Primarily an adjective describing a person's manner of speaking; occasionally functions as a verb meaning to speak haltingly.

Unlike muteness, which is an absence of speech, 訥 describes the friction or difficulty in the manner of articulation. It is often contrasted with 巧 (clever/skillful) and paired with 拙 (clumsy), where such lack of polish is framed as a marker of authenticity.

Semantic variant: U+5436; simplified variant: U+8BB7.

The tongue radical (舌) marks the glyph's association with speech and articulation difficulties.