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骯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
骯āngdirty, filthyzg, 14 strokes, radical 骨, rank #72551, Very Hard
āng(ang1) T1
  1. 1dirty, filthy
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

骯āng(ang1)

The character 骯 (āng) means 'dirty' or 'filthy.' It is often used to describe something that is unclean or morally corrupt. Common usage contexts include discussing physical cleanliness or metaphorically describing someone's character or behavior.

Strokes14Radical骨Frequency#72551DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and the concept of being 'dirty' extends beyond physical dirt to include moral and ethical considerations, reflecting a person's integrity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a dirty dog covered in mud, and think of the sound 'āng' as the dog's unhappy growl. The character 骯 has the radical for 'bones' (骨) which suggests something that is not clean, as bones can be associated with decay and dirt.

Meanings of 骯

āng(ang1)
1dirty, filthy
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 骯

骯Simplified
14Strokes
骨Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 骯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 骯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 骯

Quick Contrast

脏 (zāng) - use 骯 (āng) for a stronger moral implication than simply unclean.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 骯 with similar characters that also mean 'dirty,' such as 脏 (zāng). 骯 is more formal and can carry a stronger negative connotation. It is typically used in written language rather than in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 骯 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to other words related to cleanliness, such as 干净 (gānjìng - clean). Focus on recognizing its usage in formal writing and expanding vocabulary related to cleanliness.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 骯 with 脏 (zāng), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying 骯衣服 (āng yīfú) instead of 脏衣服 (zāng yīfú) for 'dirty clothes' is a common mistake.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 骯

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Etymology of 骯

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 亢 represents the sound. Simplified form of 骯.

Memory Hint

bone

Semantic (meaning)骨
+
Phonetic (sound)亢
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 骯

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 亢 represents the sound. Simplified form of 骯.

  1. 1The meaning half骨 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亢 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybone
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 骯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 骯?

Decomposition of 骯

IDS Structure⿰骨亢
骯Full Character
=
骨gu3
left
亢Kang4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 骯?

How to say dirty, filthy in Chinese

“dirty, filthy” in Chinese is骯āng

The character 骯 (āng) means 'dirty' or 'filthy.' It is often used to describe something that is unclean or morally corrupt. Common usage contexts include discussing physical cleanliness or metaphorically describing someone's character or behavior.

When to use 骯

Be careful not to confuse 骯 with similar characters that also mean 'dirty,' such as 脏 (zāng). 骯 is more formal and can carry a stronger negative connotation. It is typically used in written language rather than in casual conversation.

骯 or something close to it

脏 (zāng) - use 骯 (āng) for a stronger moral implication than simply unclean.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 骯 with 脏 (zāng), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying 骯衣服 (āng yīfú) instead of 脏衣服 (zāng yīfú) for 'dirty clothes' is a common mistake.

Write 骯

骯

Practice writing 骯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 骯

Words Containing This Character2
肮脏dirty骯髒
肮āngdirty骯
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 肮脏 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 骯

It is pronounced as 'āng'.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 骯?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.