Japanese Conversation · Level 76
76 words
Japanese word
汚す
Pronunciation
Romajiyogosu
Meaning
- verbmake dirty
Example
子どもがシャツを汚します。ko do mo ga sha tsu o yogo shi ma su
The child makes the shirt dirty.
More examples
川にごみを捨てると、水を汚します。kawa ni go mi o su te ru to mizu o yogo shi ma su
If you throw garbage into a river, you pollute the water.
Core concept
Describes causing a person, object, or place to lose its clean condition through dirt or unwanted matter.
Common phrases
手を汚すte o yogo su
get one's hands dirty
空気を汚すkū ki o yogo su
pollute the air
名誉を汚すmei yo o yogo su
tarnish one's honor
Similar words
汚染するosensuru: To contaminate land, water, food, or another substance with unwanted matter.
汚損するosonsuru: To soil or damage an object, especially a document or finished surface.
穢すkegasu: To make a person or thing impure by violating a moral or sacred standard.
Definition in Japanese
物や場所などに汚れを付け、きれいでない状態にすること。mono ya ba sho na do ni yogo re o tsu ke ki re i de na i jō tai ni su ru ko to
Word origin
The native Japanese verb 汚す (yogosu, "make dirty") is related to 汚る (yogoru, "become dirty") with す (su, "make or cause") marking a caused change of state.
Usage tips
- In everyday Japanese, 汚す (yogosu) can describe getting food on clothing, while its figurative use can describe damaging a person's good name.
Other meanings
- contaminateverb
- polluteverb
- stainverb
Opposites
- 清めるkiyomerucleanseverb