臊 (sāo) — fetid; the smell of urine
Definition
Adjective describing a strong, unpleasant smell like urine or rotting meat. Often used as 臊味 (fetid smell).
adjective
fetidthe smell of urine
Easily confused
- 噪zàolook-aliketo chirp; to make a shrill sound (of birds, insects)
- 骚sāosound-alike(bound form) to harass, to disturb
- 躁zàolook-alikerash, impetuous, irascible; restless
- 搔sāosound-aliketo scratch (with fingernails or claws, e.g. an itch)
- 燥zàolook-alikedry and uncomfortable (of weather, air, or skin)
- 澡zǎolook-alike(bound morpheme) bath; to bathe (used in compounds)
Examples
- 臊。Cè suǒ lǐ yǒu yì gǔ sāo wèi.There is a smell of urine in the toilet.
- 臊，。Zhè fáng jiān yǒu gǔ sāo wèi, dé tōng fēng.This room has a fetid smell; we need to air it out.
- 臊，。Zhè ròu sāo le, bù néng chī le.This meat has gone fetid and cannot be eaten.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
喿
喿zào臊sào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
臊 pairs 肉 (meat; flesh) with 喿, which gives its sound.
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