1.
mud, mire
Wet, soft earth. Also used in compounds and idioms related to being dirty or in difficult situations.
靴に泥がついた。
I got mud on my shoes.
子供が泥んこで遊んでいる。
The children are playing in the mud.
泥んこ = muddy, mud play
雨の後、道が泥だらけになった。
After the rain, the road became covered in mud.
泥だらけ = covered in mud
服が泥で汚れてしまった。
My clothes got dirty with mud.
大雨で川の水が泥で茶色く濁っていた。
The river water was brown and muddy from the heavy rain.
USAGE: 泥 is used both literally for mud and in various compounds and expressions.
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 泥棒 (thief, burglar)
- 泥だらけ (covered in mud)
- 泥んこ (muddy, playing in mud)
- 泥沼 (quagmire, swamp; figuratively: messy situation)
- 泥酔 (dead drunk - different reading)
- 泥試合 (mud-slinging, dirty competition)
IDIOMS:
- 泥を塗る (to disgrace, bring shame upon)
- 泥をかぶる (to take the blame, take responsibility)
RELATED:
- 土 (earth, soil - dry)
- 泥と土: 泥 is wet and muddy, 土 is dry soil/earth
Related Words
Related:
土 (earth, soil)