土

tǔ
#515 most
frequent character
local, native, folk, indigenous
adjective

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

土 is a picture of a clump of soil resting on the ground, and it first meant exactly that. The sense broadened to dirt and earth, then to land, and then to 'local'.

Drawn as: a clump of earth

土 as a component in other characters

meaning143 characters
地场增型境坐坚压块坏域均堂坦庄塔
sound8 characters
社徒杜吐肚钍芏圤
picture21 characters
里社基城野圣圳堵垒墟壑埽茔堇堞垆
empty4 characters
在走寺牡

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Example Sentences

这件衣服看起来很土。
zhè jiàn yīfú kànqǐlái hěn tǔ 。
This piece of clothing looks very unfashionable.
她的风格很土，大家都不喜欢。
tāde fēnggé hěn tǔ ， dàjiā dūbù xǐhuān 。
Her style is very local, and nobody likes it.
这些土特产非常好吃。
zhèixiē tǔtèchǎn fēicháng hǎochī 。
These indigenous specialties are very delicious.

Same Characters, Different Readings

土Tu3
Tu (ethnic group), surname Tu

Words with similar meanings

乡土xiāngtǔ
local
More focused on rural or traditional aspects as opposed to modern or urban.
土气tǔqì
rustic
Suggests a quaint or simple charm, often used in a somewhat negative context similar to 'unfashionable'.

Homophones

吐tǔ
vomit

Words Starting With 土

土地tǔ dì
land; territory; soil; local god; Lar; genius loci
土豆tǔ dòu
potato
土壤tǔ rǎng
soil

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