How to Write 污 (wū) — Meaning “Dirty / Filth”

Imagine a cup of water (氵) that has a big hole (亏) in the bottom — the water leaks out and becomes muddy and dirty. This visual of a defective container making water unclean helps link the shape to the meaning of filth.

The left radical 氵 is written with three dots — the first two close together and the third slightly lower and to the right. The right part 亏 has two horizontal strokes: the top is short and the bottom is longer with a hooked curve; avoid making the final stroke too straight or angular.

污 (dirty) uses the water radical with 亏, while 㳄 (xián, saliva) has a different right component resembling water flowing from a mouth. 氿 (guǐ, a spring) is a rare ancient character for a type of spring water; 污 is common in modern Chinese for pollution, whereas 㳄 and 氿 are mostly historical or obscure.

污 is used in common words like 污染 (pollution) for environmental topics and 污水 (sewage) in daily life. In internet slang, 污 can also mean "dirty" humor or jokes, so be careful not to use it in formal contexts about cleanliness unless referring to actual filth.

Common words containing 污 include: 污染 (wū rǎn) — Pollution / Contamination; 污垢 (wū gòu) — Dirt / Grime; 污水 (wū shuǐ) — Sewage / Waste water.