臭
xiù
#2,101 most
frequent character
sense of smell, smell bad
Character breakdown
Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
臭 chòu puts 自, a nose, with 犬, a dog. A dog's keen nose gives the first meaning, 'keen, sensitive nose'. From there it grew to 'stench, odor' and 'to smell bad'. Read xiù, it means 'smell, scent'.
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