汚れる

• Reading: よごれる
• Romaji: yogoreru
• Kanji breakdown: 汚 (o/yogo) — dirty, polluted, filthy
• Pronunciation: /jo.ɡo.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To become dirty; to get stained. Describes something becoming soiled or contaminated.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb. The transitive pair is 汚す (yogosu, to make dirty). Used for clothing, hands, rooms, and metaphorically for reputations. Very common in daily life, especially when talking about laundry or cleaning.

Examples

1. 白いシャツがコーヒーで汚れてしまった。 My white shirt got stained with coffee.
2. 子供が外で遊んで服が汚れた。 The kids played outside and their clothes got dirty.
3. この部屋はずっと掃除していないので汚れている。 This room is dirty because it hasn't been cleaned in a while.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, cleaning, laundry

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 汚 combines 氵 (water radical) with 亏 (to lose/lack). Suggests water that has lost its purity — something contaminated or dirty.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal