The word 迟钝 is formed by combining two characters that each contribute a related quality of slowness or dullness. 迟 means "slow" or "late", primarily relating to time or speed, while 钝 means "blunt", "dull", or "unsharp", originally describing objects but extended to mental acuity. Their pairing creates a single, reinforced concept where the slowness of 迟 merges with the blunt, unresponsive quality of 钝 to fully capture the meaning of sluggishness, typically in thought or reaction.