壚 (lú) - Lú — black soil & black earth

壚Tone 2

lú ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

林伦

壚 · lú

Lú — black soil;

black earth;

hearth;

tavern;

wine shop;

also refers to a type of fine-grained, fertile soil.

Lú — black soilblack earthhearth

Usage highlights

Black soilWine shopHearthTavern hearthAlchemist's furnaceYellow clay soil

Synonyms

  • 爐— furnace, stove (different character but similar sound and related meaning)
  • 土— soil, earth (broader term)

Antonyms

  • 沙— sand (opposite of fertile soil)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The wine shop had a welcoming hearth (酒壚).
  • The fertile black soil (壚土) yielded abundant crops.
  • He sat by the tavern's hearth (壚邊).
  • Ancient alchemists used special hearths (丹壚) for their experiments.

Collocations

  • Black soil(壚土)
  • Wine shop(酒壚)
  • Hearth(壚灶)
  • Tavern hearth(壚邊)
  • Alchemist's furnace(丹壚)
  • Yellow clay soil(黃壚)

Idioms

  • Yellow Springs and Black Soil (黃泉壚土) — refers to the underworld or death
  • Sitting by the tavern hearth (當壚賣酒) — working as a bartender
  • Black soil and reeds (壚埴蘆葦) — describing fertile land with abundant vegetation

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with taverns and wine shops, where the hearth was central to hospitality.
  • In soil classification, 壚土 refers to fertile black earth, highly valued in agriculture.
  • Appears in classical poetry and literature describing tavern scenes and romantic encounters.

FAQ