Definitions
(noun)
earth; soil; clay; dirt
(adjective)
local; indigenous
(adjective)
crude; unsophisticated
Etymology
Depicts a lump of dirt on the ground.
About
The character "土" originated as a pictograph depicting a mound of soil, which stabilized into a form consisting of two horizontal strokes with a vertical stroke intersecting the bottom one. Its etymology is directly tied to representing earth or ground, and it functions as a basic ideograph. The primary meaning of soil extended over time to encompass land, territory, and locality, subsequently acquiring additional connotations such as native, rustic, or unrefined. In written Chinese, it also acts as a radical in compound characters, often signaling semantic connections to earth, place, or construction.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这里的土很肥沃。
农民在土地上耕种。
土豆是一种常见的蔬菜。
大风扬起了地上的尘土。
这件衣服的设计有点土气。
水土流失是一个环境问题。
他来自一个偏僻的土家族村庄。
在黄土高原上，人们建造了独特的民居。