埃 āi — dirt; dust; angstrom
空气里飘着许多尘埃。Kōng qì lǐ piāo zhe xǔ duō chén āi.Many specks of dust float in the air.
Common words: 山埃 (shān āi)、埃米 (āi mǐ)、埃居 (āi jū)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "dirt"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "dirt", including 埃 (āi), 污 (wū), 尘 (chén). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "dirt" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 埃 (āi), 污 (wū), 尘 (chén) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span āi, wū, chén — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 埃 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 埃 āidirt; dust; angstromUseful words: 山埃, 埃米
- 污 wūsee 污; dirt; filthUseful words: 污染, 污水
- 尘 chéndust; dirt; earthUseful words: 灰尘, 后尘
Common words for these 3 "dirt" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 埃 (āi) — so "dirt" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
山埃shān āicyanide (loanword); same as 氰化埃米āi mǐangstrom (Å)埃居āi jūécu (French coin, discontinued by the end of the 18th century)污染wū rǎn(lit. and fig.) to pollute; to contaminate污水wū shuǐsewage贪污tān wūto be corrupt; corruption; to embezzle灰尘huī chéndust后尘hòu chénlit. trailing dust; fig. sb's footsteps; course in life前尘qián chénthe past; impurity contracted previously (in the sentient world) (Buddhism)
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "dirt".
污 wū — see 污; dirt; filth
我们不能往河里乱倒污水。Wǒ men bù néng wǎng hé lǐ luàn dào wū shuǐ.We must not dump sewage into the river.
Common words: 污染 (wū rǎn)、污水 (wū shuǐ)、贪污 (tān wū)
尘 chén — dust; dirt; earth
桌子上落满了灰尘，该擦一擦了。Zhuō zi shàng luò mǎn le huī chén, gāi cā yi cā le.The table is covered with dust; it should be wiped.
Common words: 灰尘 (huī chén)、后尘 (hòu chén)、前尘 (qián chén)
All 3 characters
Open 埃、污、尘 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.