About
The character "泥" is structurally a phono-semantic compound, combining the water radical on the left to signify its association with fluid substances and the phonetic component "尼" on the right to suggest its pronunciation, originally denoting wet earth or mud. Its meaning gradually expanded to encompass a range of semi-fluid materials like clay, paste, or sludge, and in classical literary contexts, it acquired metaphorical layers, such as conveying obstinacy or an inflexible adherence to tradition, evident in compounds like "泥古". This shift from a concrete reference to earthy matter toward abstract implications of being stuck or persistent illustrates a natural extension in its semantic range across centuries, even as its graphical form has maintained consistency.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的鞋子上有泥。
孩子们在玩泥巴。
这条路变得很泥泞。
建筑工人正在搅拌水泥。
河底的淤泥需要清理。
暴雨后，田野里一片泥沼。
陶艺师熟练地揉着泥料。
由于长期干旱，土地已经龟裂成泥块。