浊

濁

zhuó

氵 + 虫

Definitions

zhuó turbid; muddy; impure

Etymology

A pond 氵 growing scum 虫

About

The phono-semantic compound 浊 (traditional: 濁) describes the physical state of liquids. Its traditional form combines the semantic radical 氵 (water) on the left, indicating a liquid-related meaning, with the phonetic component 蜀 on the right. In the simplified version, 蜀 is replaced by the simpler 虫, reducing strokes while maintaining a link to the original structure. The primary meaning refers to muddy or turbid water, a sense that naturally extended to abstract ideas of impurity, corruption, or a lack of clarity.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Wu (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这条小河很浑浊。

Zhè tiáo xiǎo hé hěn húnzhuó.

This small river is very muddy.

工厂排放的废水污染了河水，使它变得浑浊。

Gōngchǎng páifàng de fèishuǐ wūrǎn le héshuǐ, shǐ tā biàn de húnzhuó.

The wastewater discharged from the factory polluted the river, making it turbid.

经过沉淀，水中的浊物慢慢沉到了底部。

Jīngguò chéndiàn, shuǐ zhōng de zhuó wù mànmàn chén dàole dǐbù.

After sedimentation, the impurities in the water slowly sank to the bottom.

他的声音有些浑浊不清，可能感冒了。

Tā de shēngyīn yǒuxiē húnzhuó bù qīng, kěnéng gǎnmào le.

His voice is somewhat hoarse and unclear; he might have caught a cold.

在语言学中，浊辅音需要声带振动。

Zài yǔyán xué zhōng, zhuó fǔyīn xūyào shēngdài zhèndòng.

In linguistics, voiced consonants require vocal cord vibration.

持续的雾霾让城市的空气显得更加污浊。

Chíxù de wùmái ràng chéngshì de kōngqì xiǎndé gèngjiā wūzhuó.

The persistent smog made the city's air appear even more filthy.

他的理论清浊分明，很有说服力。

Tā de lǐlùn qīng zhuó fēnmíng, hěn yǒu shuōfúlì.

His theory clearly distinguishes between right and wrong, and is very persuasive.

艺术家用浑浊的色调表现人物内心的矛盾。

Yìshùjiā yòng húnzhuó de sèdiào biǎoxiàn rénwù nèixīn de máodùn.

The artist used murky tones to express the inner contradictions of the character.

Related Characters

Component: 氵

Component: 虫

浊