粘土(ねんど)

ねんど
noun
clay
1. clay
A natural, fine-grained material that becomes pliable when wet and hard when fired. Used for pottery, sculpture, and crafts.
粘土(ねんど)で人形(にんぎょう)を作(つく)る。
To make a doll out of clay.
子供(こども)たちが粘土(ねんど)で動物(どうぶつ)の形(かたち)を作(つく)っている。
The children are making animal shapes out of clay.
この土地(とち)は粘土(ねんど)質(しつ)なので、水(みず)はけが悪(わる)い。
This land has clay soil, so the drainage is poor.

粘土(ねんど) 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.

Etymology

A compound of 粘(ねん) (sticky) + 土(ど) (earth, soil).

Common collocations

  • 粘土(ねんど)をこねる: to knead clay
  • 粘土(ねんど)で作(つく)る: to make from clay
  • 粘土(ねんど)質(しつ): clay-like, clayey (of soil)

Types

  • 油(あぶら)粘土(ねんど): oil-based clay (for crafts, doesn't dry out)
  • 紙(かみ)粘土(ねんど): paper clay (lightweight craft clay)
  • 陶芸(とうげい)用(よう)粘土(ねんど): pottery clay

Related Words

Related: 轆轤(ろくろ) (potter's wheel)
Compare: 赤土 (red clay)
general
Added 2026.3.25 22:28 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
19000/19435_nendo