泥(どろ)

どろ

noun

mud

1. mud, mire

Wet, soft earth. Also used in compounds and idioms related to being dirty or in difficult situations.

靴(くつ)に泥(どろ)がついた。

I got mud on my shoes.

子供(こども)が泥(どろ)んこで遊(あそ)んでいる。

The children are playing in the mud.

泥(どろ)んこ = muddy, mud play

雨(あめ)の後(あと)、道(みち)が泥(どろ)だらけになった。

After the rain, the road became covered in mud.

泥(どろ)だらけ = covered in mud

服(ふく)が泥(どろ)で汚(よご)れてしまった。

My clothes got dirty with mud.

大雨(おおあめ)で川(かわ)の水(みず)が泥(どろ)で茶色(ちゃいろ)く濁(にご)っていた。

The river water was brown and muddy from the heavy rain.

Usage: 泥(どろ) is used both literally for mud and in various compounds and expressions.

Compounds

泥棒(どろぼう) (thief, burglar)
泥(どろ)だらけ (covered in mud)
泥(どろ)んこ (muddy, playing in mud)
泥沼(どろぬま) (quagmire, swamp; figuratively: messy situation)
泥酔(でいすい) (dead drunk - different reading)
泥試合(どろじあい) (mud-slinging, dirty competition)

Common expressions

泥(どろ)を塗(ぬ)る (to disgrace, bring shame upon)
泥(どろ)をかぶる (to take the blame, take responsibility)

Related words

土(つち) (earth, soil - dry)
泥(どろ)と土(つち): 泥(どろ) is wet and muddy, 土(つち) is dry soil/earth

Related Words

Related: 土(つち) (earth, soil)

Compare: どろんこ (muddy, covered in mud)

Related: ぬかるむ (to become muddy)

core

Added 2026.1.12 19:01 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29

03000/03492_doro