乾燥

• Reading: かんそう
• Romaji: kansou
• Kanji breakdown: 乾 (kan) — dry; 燥 (sō) — parch, dry out
• Pronunciation: /kaɴ.soː/

Meaning

Dry; arid; dehydrated. The state of lacking moisture or the process of drying.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (乾燥する). Used for weather conditions (乾燥した気候, dry climate), skin problems (肌が乾燥する, skin gets dry), food preservation (乾燥させる, to dehydrate), and laundry (乾燥機, dryer). Both transitive and intransitive uses are common. Frequently encountered in weather forecasts and skincare contexts.

Examples

1. 冬は空気が乾燥するので肌に気をつけている。 The air gets dry in winter, so I take care of my skin.
2. 乾燥した食品は長く保存できる。 Dried foods can be stored for a long time.
3. 洗濯物を乾燥機に入れた。 I put the laundry in the dryer.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, skincare, food

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 乾 (kan, dry) and 燥 (sō, parch/dry). Both characters relate to dryness, reinforcing the meaning — thoroughly dried out, lacking any moisture.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal