汙 (wū) - dirt, filth, impurity & to defile, to stain

汙Tone 1

wū ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 氵

万响

汙 · wū

dirt, filth, impurity;

to defile, to stain;

corrupt;

stagnant water

dirt, filth, impurityto defile, to staincorrupt

Usage highlights

pollutioncorruptiondirt/filthstain/blemishdefile/sullysewage

Synonyms

  • 污— variant form with same meaning
  • 脏— dirty, filthy
  • 秽— foul, unclean

Antonyms

  • 洁— clean, pure
  • 净— clean, purified
  • 清— clear, pure

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The water is polluted (水被污染了).
  • He was accused of corruption (贪污).
  • Clean the dirt off the wall (清除墙上的污垢).
  • This is a stain on his reputation (这是他名誉上的污点).

Collocations

  • pollution(污染)
  • corruption(贪污)
  • dirt/filth(污垢)
  • stain/blemish(污点)
  • defile/sully(污辱)
  • sewage(污水)

Idioms

  • To be stained with infamy(同流合污)
  • To clear oneself of a false charge(洗雪污名)
  • To drag through the mud(含污纳垢)
  • To be completely corrupt(藏污纳垢)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian ethics, maintaining moral purity and avoiding '污' (defilement) was highly valued.
  • The character often appears in contexts criticizing corruption and moral decay in Chinese political discourse.
  • Traditional Chinese medicine associates stagnant or '污' water with disease and imbalance.

FAQ