Japanese word

泥

Pronunciation

Romajidoro

Meaning

  • nounmud

Example

雨のあと、道に泥が残っています。ame no a to michi ni doro ga noko tte i ma su

There is mud left on the road after the rain.

Illustration for 泥 (mud)

More examples

靴に泥が付いたので、玄関で落とします。kutsu ni doro ga tsu i ta no de gen kan de o to shi ma su

Because my shoes got mud on them, I will wipe it off in the entryway.

Core concept

Refers to loose earth that becomes soft and sticky when mixed with water.

Common phrases

  • 泥を落とすdoro o o to su

    wash off mud

  • 泥が付くdoro ga tsu ku

    get mud on it

  • 泥をぬぐうdoro o nu gū

    wipe off mud

Similar words

土tsuchi: Loose earth that is generally dry and can support plant growth.
泥んこdoronko: A casual term for mud that emphasizes a messy coating on people or things.

Definition in Japanese

水を含んで柔らかくなった土。mizu o fuku n de yawa ra ka ku na tta tsuchi

Word origin

泥 (doro) is a native Japanese word, while the kanji 泥 (dei, "mud") was borrowed from Chinese to represent its meaning.

Usage tips

  • English usually contrasts mud with dirt because mud is wet and sticky, while dirt often means loose soil or something that makes a surface unclean.

Other meanings

  • dirtnoun

Related words

  • 泥んこdoronkomudnoun
  • 泥まみれdoromamiremud-coveredna-adjective

Word lists with this word