dirty · pollute

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 汚 has 6 strokes and expresses a dirty state or becoming dirty.
• Basic usage: 汚い is read きたない, and 汚れる is read よごれる.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• State and change
  • 汚い手 describes hands that are dirty.
  • 靴が泥で汚れる describes shoes becoming dirty with mud.
• Adjective form
  • 汚くなった changes the ending of 汚い to く to express becoming dirty.