污 (wū) — dirty, filthy (literal sense in compounds); corrupt, defiled (figurative sense in compounds)
Definition
污 (wū) is a bound form meaning 'dirty / corrupt' used only inside compounds like 污染, 污点, and 贪污 — never on its own. Read literally for physical filth, figuratively for moral or reputational stain.
bound form
dirtyfilthy (literal sense in compounds)corruptdefiled (figurative sense in compounds)
Examples
- 。Zhè tiáo hé bèi wū rǎn dé hěn yán zhòng.This river is heavily polluted.
- 。Tā de míng yù shàng yǒu le yí gè wū diǎn.There is a stain on his reputation.
- 。Tā yīn tān wū bèi diào chá.He is under investigation for corruption.
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.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 汙; 污 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 汙 pairs 水 (water) with 于 for the sound; the simplified 污 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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