1.
clay
A natural, fine-grained material that becomes pliable when wet and hard when fired. Used for pottery, sculpture, and crafts.
粘土で人形を作る。
To make a doll out of clay.
子供たちが粘土で動物の形を作っている。
The children are making animal shapes out of clay.
この土地は粘土質なので、水はけが悪い。
This land has clay soil, so the drainage is poor.
粘土 refers to a fine-grained, malleable earth material that becomes soft and workable when wet and hardens when dried or fired. It is used in pottery, sculpture, and children's crafts, and also appears in geological and agricultural contexts to describe soil composition.
WORD STRUCTURE:
A compound of 粘 (sticky) + 土 (earth, soil).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 粘土をこねる: to knead clay
- 粘土で作る: to make from clay
- 粘土質: clay-like, clayey (of soil)
TYPES:
- 油粘土: oil-based clay (for crafts, doesn't dry out)
- 紙粘土: paper clay (lightweight craft clay)
- 陶芸用粘土: pottery clay