汚染

• Reading: おせん
• Romaji: osen
• Kanji breakdown: 汚 (o) — dirty, to pollute; 染 (sen) — to dye, to stain
• Pronunciation: /o.seɴ/

Meaning

Pollution; contamination. The introduction of harmful substances into the environment.

A noun that can function as a suru-verb (汚染する), used both transitively and intransitively. It covers all forms of environmental contamination. Common collocations include 大気汚染 (air pollution), 水質汚染 (water pollution), 土壌汚染 (soil contamination), and 環境汚染 (environmental pollution).

Examples

1. 工場からの排水が川を汚染した。 Wastewater from the factory contaminated the river.
2. 大気汚染が健康に悪い影響を与えている。 Air pollution is having a negative impact on people's health.
3. 土壌汚染の調査が行われている。 An investigation into soil contamination is being conducted.

Usage Guide

Context: environment, news, science

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Composed of 汚 (dirty, to pollute) and 染 (to dye, to stain). Together they mean to stain with impurity — contamination.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal