How to say "slow" in Japanese

• 遅いおそいJLPT N5approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe general-purpose adjective for something that moves, works, or progresses at low speed — a slow train, a slow walker, slow progress. This is the word you want for plain 'slow' in ordinary sentences.
  彼女かのじょは走はしるのが遅おそい。↗

  She is a slow runner.
• スローCommon
  na-adjectiveThe katakana loanword. It appears chiefly inside set expressions and compounds about pace, tempo, or motion; for an ordinary statement that something is slow, 遅い is the natural choice instead.
• 緩慢かんまんCommon
  na-adjective, nounSluggish, languid slowness: movement, action, or progress that lacks vigor and drags along. Typical of physical movements or of changes that seem heavy and listless rather than simply low in speed.
  コンピューターは、たとえ緩慢かんまんにせよ大おおきな変化へんかを引き起ひきおこした。↗

  Computers caused a great, if gradual, change.
• 遅々ちちCommon
  taru-adjective, adverb (with と)Seldom the plain word for 'slow': it is a bound, emphatic form, essentially confined to a fixed expression stating that progress is slow and barely advancing — things are lagging badly.
  その国民こくみんの社会しゃかい生活せいかつに関かんする限かぎりでは、進歩しんぽは実じつに遅々ちちたるものである。↗

  Progress has been very slow indeed, so far as the social life of the people is concerned.
• 低調ていちょうCommon
  na-adjective, nounSluggish in the sense of inactive, lackluster activity: business, sales, or performance that is slow and unremarkable. Not for the speed of people or objects — think 'slow business', not 'a slow walker'.
  今いまの太陽たいようの活動かつどうは低調ていちょうですが、それでも時々ときどき大おおきな黒点こくてんが現あらわれます。↗

  The sun is currently in a period of low activity but even so large sunspots occasionally appear.

Use 「遅い」 for plain slowness of speed; 「スロー」 mainly in loanword set phrases; 緩慢 for sluggish, listless movement or progress; 低調 for inactive, lackluster business or activity; 遅々 only in the fixed expression about progress that barely advances.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 遅いおそいslow
• スローslow
• 緩慢かんまんslow
• 遅々ちちslow
• 低調ていちょうinactive
• 悠長ゆうちょうleisurely
• 鈍どんdull
• もっさりslow
• どんくさいslow
• 頭が悪いあたまがわるいslow
• 頭の悪いあたまのわるいslow
• 頭悪いあたまわるいslow
• 慢慢的マンマンデslow
• 遅しおそしslow
• 間延びしたまのびしたslow
• 不活発ふかっぱつdull
• 漸次的ぜんじてきgradual
• とろくさいdull
• 速度落とせそくどおとせslow down
• ちょれーstupid
• 愚鈍ぐどんstupid
• まどろっこしい(frustratingly) slow
• まだるい(frustratingly) slow
• まだるっこい(frustratingly) slow
• まだるっこしい(frustratingly) slow
• まどろっこい(frustratingly) slow
• 重いおもいslow
• 静かしずかslow
• のろいslow
• 緩やかゆるやかgentle (slope, curve)
• なだらかsmooth (process)
• とろいslow
• 鈍重どんじゅうslow (of one's movements)
• 手ぬるいてぬるいslow
• 足りないたりないdim-witted
• 緩かゆるかgentle
• 足らないたらないdim-witted
• 暇ひまslow (business)
• 緩いゆるいslow
• 鈍いにぶいslow