Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
脏 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
脏
zàng
viscera
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
(anatomy) organ
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
dirty
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
organs, viscera; dirty, filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
viscera
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
(anatomy) organ
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
dirty
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
organs, viscera; dirty, filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
zāng(zang1)zang
primary
T1
1viscera
2(anatomy) organ
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
脏(臟)zāng(zang1)
The character 脏 (zāng) primarily means 'dirty' or 'filthy', often used to describe something that is unclean in a physical sense. It can also refer to internal organs in a medical or anatomical context, highlighting its dual usage in everyday conversation and specialized fields.
Strokes10Radical⺼Frequency#1818DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and the concept of being 'dirty' (脏) can extend beyond physical cleanliness to moral cleanliness, affecting social interactions and personal relationships.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'zangy' creature covered in dirt, representing the 'dirty' meaning of 脏. Visualize its vital organs (the 'viscera') inside, emphasizing the connection between the character's meaning and its anatomical reference.
Meanings of 脏
zāng(zang1)
primary
1viscera
2(anatomy) organ
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 脏 means.
About 脏
脏Simplified
臟Traditional
10Strokes
⺼Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1818Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 脏
Podcast: 脏
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 脏
Quick Contrast
脏 (zāng) vs 污 (wū) — use 脏 for general dirtiness, while 污 specifically refers to pollution or contamination.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 脏 with its homophone '藏' (cáng), which means 'to hide'. In informal contexts, 脏 can describe someone's character or behavior as 'dirty' or unethical. Common collocations include 脏衣服 (dirty clothes) and 脏话 (filthy language).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 脏 connects to other level-appropriate vocabulary related to cleanliness and anatomy. Students should focus on its pronunciation and remember its dual meaning to grasp its usage in different contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 脏 with 藏, leading to sentences like '我藏衣服' (I hide clothes) instead of '我有脏衣服' (I have dirty clothes). Always clarify the context to avoid confusion.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 脏
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 脏, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 脏 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 脏?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 脏 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
脏 = ⺼ + 庄. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 脏
IDS Structure⿰⺼庄
脏Full character
=
⺼rou4
left
庄zhuang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 脏?
How to say viscera in Chinese
“viscera” in Chinese is脏zàng
The character 脏 (zāng) primarily means 'dirty' or 'filthy', often used to describe something that is unclean in a physical sense. It can also refer to internal organs in a medical or anatomical context, highlighting its dual usage in everyday conversation and specialized fields.
When to use 脏
Be careful not to confuse 脏 with its homophone '藏' (cáng), which means 'to hide'. In informal contexts, 脏 can describe someone's character or behavior as 'dirty' or unethical. Common collocations include 脏衣服 (dirty clothes) and 脏话 (filthy language).
脏 or something close to it
脏 (zāng) vs 污 (wū) — use 脏 for general dirtiness, while 污 specifically refers to pollution or contamination.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mix up 脏 with 藏, leading to sentences like '我藏衣服' (I hide clothes) instead of '我有脏衣服' (I have dirty clothes). Always clarify the context to avoid confusion.
Write 脏
脏
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 脏 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 脏
脏 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Prevention is better than cure, so start looking after your heart now.
8
与其他器官相比，人的心脏是不是很脆弱？
yǔqí tā qìguān xiāngbǐ， rén de xīnzàng shìbùshì hěn cuìruò？
Is the human heart weak in comparison with the other organs?
9
帕梅拉对自己那些脏话和伤人的言辞一点也不感到羞愧。
pà méi lā duì zìjǐ nàxiē zāng huà hé shāng rén de yáncí yīdiǎn yě bù gǎndào xiūkuì。
Pamela was unrepentant about her strong language and abrasive remarks.
10
那座城市的街道肮脏不堪，弥漫着令人窒息的废气。
nà zuò chéngshì de jiēdào āng zāng bùkān， mímàn zhe lìng rén zhìxī de fèi qì。
The city's streets are filthy and choked with exhaust fumes.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 脏?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Cultural Notes for 脏
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued. The concept of '脏' not only refers to physical dirt but also to moral purity. Keeping one's living space clean is seen as a reflection of one's character.
Word Family of 脏
Words containing this character20
心脏xīnzàngheart心臟
脏zāngviscera臟
心脏病xīnzàngbìngheart disease心臟病
肝脏gānzàngliver肝臟
肮脏āngzāngdirty骯髒
肾脏shènzàngkidney腎臟
内脏nèizàngviscera內臟
脏话zānghuàprofanity髒話
脏器zàngqìinternal organs臟器
脾脏pízàngspleen脾臟
脏腑zàngfǔinner organs臟腑
五脏wǔzàngfive viscera of TCM, namely: heart 心[xīn], liver 肝[gān], spleen 脾[pí], lungs 肺[fèi] and kidneys 腎|肾[shèn]五臟
弄脏nòngzāngto make dirty弄髒
五脏六腑wǔzàngliùfǔfive viscera and six bowels (TCM)五臟六腑
脏乱zāngluànin a mess髒亂
脏字zāngzìobscenity髒字
脏兮兮zāngxīxīdirty髒兮兮
脏乱差zāngluànchàsqualor髒亂差
脏水zāngshuǐsewage髒水
脏病zāngbìng(coll.) venereal disease髒病
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 脏
What does 心脏 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 脏
Some synonyms for 脏 (zàng) include 肮脏 (āngzàng), which also means 'dirty', and 不干净 (bù gānjìng), meaning 'not clean'. These terms can be used interchangeably in many contexts.
Yes, 脏 (zàng) is commonly used in everyday conversation when discussing cleanliness or describing something as dirty. It's also important in medical discussions when referring to organs.
You can use 脏 (zàng) to describe something that is not clean, such as '这个房间太脏了' (This room is too dirty). In a medical context, you might say '脏器' (zàngqì) to refer to 'organs'. Understanding the context helps clarify its meaning.
脏 (zàng) primarily means 'dirty' or 'filthy' in Chinese. It can also refer to 'viscera' or 'organ' in an anatomical context. The meaning often depends on the context in which it is used.
Common phrases include 脏衣服 (dirty clothes) and 脏手 (dirty hands).
Focus on the context; 脏 specifically refers to dirtiness, while characters like 藏 (cáng) relate to hiding.
While typically informal, it can appear in formal medical discussions when referring to organs, but use with caution in other formal settings.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 脏?
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.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
