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污点 (wū diǎn) — stain, spot, blemish (literal or figurative)

Definition

Used for both literal marks (ink, dirt) on a surface and, more commonly, figurative blemishes on a person's reputation or record. In the moral sense it refers to a lasting fault or disgrace, not a minor mistake.

noun
stainspotblemish (literal or figurative)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 污点，。
    Zhè jiàn yī fu shàng yǒu yí gè wū diǎn, hěn nán qù diào.
    This piece of clothing has a stain on it that's hard to remove.
  • 污点，。
    Zhè ge wén jiàn shàng yǒu yí gè wū diǎn, kě néng shì mò shuǐ nòng de.
    This document has a spot on it; it might be from ink.
  • 污点。
    Tā jué de zì jǐ de rén shēng yǒu le yí gè wū diǎn.
    He feels that his life has a blemish.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

污wūdirty/stained
点diǎnspot

污 means dirty or stained, and 点 is a spot; a dirty spot is a stain or blemish.

Characters in this word

Most 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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
于
于yú汙wū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 汙 pairs 水 (water) with 于 for the sound; the simplified 污 is a later shorthand.

Open 污 →

Most 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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →
Appears in
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