Definition
污染 (wū rǎn) is the standard word for 'to pollute' — used for air, water, the environment, and figuratively for ideas. In contrast, 染 (rǎn) means 'to dye' (hair, fabric) or 'to catch a disease'; it only implies contamination in specific compound verbs like 沾染 or 感染, not general pollution.
verb
to polluteto contaminate (literal and figurative)
Examples
- 污染。Kōngqì wū rǎn hěn nán jiějué.Air pollution is hard to solve.
- 。Gōngchǎng de zāng shuǐ wū rǎn le zhè tiáo hé.The dirty water from the factory polluted this river.
- 污染。Zhè zhǒng sīxiǎng wū rǎn le niánqīng rén de xīnlíng.This kind of thinking contaminates young people's minds.
Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.