脏 (zāng) — dirty, filthy
Definition
Everyday word for 'dirty' — physical dirt on clothes, hands, places, etc. 污秽 is much stronger and literary, used for moral or extreme filth.
adjective
dirtyfilthy
Easily confused
Examples
- 脏。Tā de yī fu hěn zāng.His clothes are very dirty.
- ，脏。Zài wài miàn wán yǐ hòu, hái zi de shǒu hěn zāng.After playing outside, the child's hands are dirty.
- 脏。Wǒ bù xǐ huan zāng de dì fāng.I don't like dirty places.
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 髒; 脏 is its simplified writing.
The simplified 脏 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (心脏) it is 臟; in others (脏) it is 髒.
The traditional form 髒 combines 骨 (bone) with 葬 (zàng) for the sound.
Appears in
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