adjective HSK 5
Traditional
zhuó
turbid · muddy · murky · impure

Meaning

describes water, air, or sound that is not clear or pure. It refers to liquid that is cloudy or muddy, air that is polluted, or sounds that are hoarse or muffled. The character combines the water radical 氵with 蜀, suggesting unclear or impure water.

Usage

is primarily used in written or formal contexts. It commonly appears in compound words rather than alone. Native speakers often use 浑 (húnzhuó) in everyday speech instead of by itself. The word also appears in linguistic terminology to describe 'voiced' consonants.

Examples

  1. 01
    河水因为大雨变得浑不清。
    Héshuǐ yīnwèi dàyǔ biàn de húnzhuó qīng.
    The river water became turbid and unclear because of the heavy rain.
  2. 02
    拼音中b、d、g都是音。
    Pīnyīn zhōng b, d, g dōu shì zhuóyīn.
    In Pinyin, b, d, and g are all voiced sounds.

Common collocations

  • zhuó shuǐ
    muddy water
  • zhuóyīn
    voiced sound (linguistics)
  • zhuóqì
    foul air, turbid air

Antonyms

Origin

The traditional form contains the water radical 氵and the phonetic component 蜀 (Shǔ, ancient kingdom), which also contributes semantic meaning related to denseness or murkiness.

Related