汚す

• Reading: よごす
• Romaji: yogosu
• Kanji breakdown: 汚 (o/yogo) — dirty, pollute, soil
• Pronunciation: /jo.ɡo.sɯ/

Meaning

To make dirty; to soil; to stain; to pollute.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the す row. The transitive counterpart of 汚れる (to become dirty). Used for physically dirtying clothes, rooms, or the environment, and figuratively for tarnishing a reputation (名を汚す = to disgrace one's name). Children are often told 服を汚さないで (don't get your clothes dirty).

Examples

1. 子供が白いシャツを泥で汚してしまった。 The kid got mud all over his white shirt.
2. 環境を汚す工場に住民が反対している。 Residents are protesting against factories that pollute the environment.
3. 彼の行動は家族の名前を汚した。 His actions disgraced his family's name.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, environment, figurative expression

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Transitive form related to 汚れる (yogoreru, to become dirty). The kanji 汚 combines 氵 (water radical) and 亏 (blemish), representing something stained by impure water.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal