HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
(anatomy) organ
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
dirty
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zàng
organs, viscera; dirty, filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
viscera
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
(anatomy) organ
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
dirty
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
脏
zāng
organs, viscera; dirty, filthy
HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #1818, Medium
zāng(zang1)
primary
T1
1viscera
2(anatomy) organ
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
脏(臟)zāng(zang1)
The character 脏 (zāng) primarily means 'dirty' or 'filthy', often used to describe something that is unclean in a physical sense. It can also refer to internal organs in a medical or anatomical context, highlighting its dual usage in everyday conversation and specialized fields.
Strokes10Radical⺼Frequency#1818DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and the concept of being 'dirty' (脏) can extend beyond physical cleanliness to moral cleanliness, affecting social interactions and personal relationships.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'zangy' creature covered in dirt, representing the 'dirty' meaning of 脏. Visualize its vital organs (the 'viscera') inside, emphasizing the connection between the character's meaning and its anatomical reference.
Meanings of 脏
zāng(zang1)
primary
1viscera
2(anatomy) organ
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 脏
脏Simplified
臟Traditional
10Strokes
⺼Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1818Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 脏
Podcast: 脏
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 脏
Quick Contrast
脏 (zāng) vs 污 (wū) — use 脏 for general dirtiness, while 污 specifically refers to pollution or contamination.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'zangy' creature covered in dirt, representing the 'dirty' meaning of 脏. Visualize its vital organs (the 'viscera') inside, emphasizing the connection between the character's meaning and its anatomical reference.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 脏 with its homophone '藏' (cáng), which means 'to hide'. In informal contexts, 脏 can describe someone's character or behavior as 'dirty' or unethical. Common collocations include 脏衣服 (dirty clothes) and 脏话 (filthy language).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 脏 connects to other level-appropriate vocabulary related to cleanliness and anatomy. Students should focus on its pronunciation and remember its dual meaning to grasp its usage in different contexts.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and the concept of being 'dirty' (脏) can extend beyond physical cleanliness to moral cleanliness, affecting social interactions and personal relationships.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 脏 with 藏, leading to sentences like '我藏衣服' (I hide clothes) instead of '我有脏衣服' (I have dirty clothes). Always clarify the context to avoid confusion.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 脏
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 脏 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 脏 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 脏
脏 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Prevention is better than cure, so start looking after your heart now.
8
与其他器官相比，人的心脏是不是很脆弱？
yǔ qí tā qì guān xiāng bǐ， ， rén de xīn zāng shì bù shì hěn cuì？
Is the human heart weak in comparison with the other organs?
9
帕梅拉对自己那些脏话和伤人的言辞一点也不感到羞愧。
pà méi lā duì zì jǐ nà xiē zāng huà hé shāng rén de yán cí yī diǎn yě bù gǎn dào xiū kuì。
Pamela was unrepentant about her strong language and abrasive remarks.
10
那座城市的街道肮脏不堪，弥漫着令人窒息的废气。
nà zuò chéng shì de jiē dào āng zāng bù kān， ， mí màn zháo líng rén zhì xī de fèi。
The city's streets are filthy and choked with exhaust fumes.
Cultural Notes for 脏
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued. The concept of '脏' not only refers to physical dirt but also to moral purity. Keeping one's living space clean is seen as a reflection of one's character.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and the concept of being 'dirty' (脏) can extend beyond physical cleanliness to moral cleanliness, affecting social interactions and personal relationships.
Word Family of 脏
Words Containing This Character20
心脏xīnzàngheart心臟
脏zāngviscera臟
心脏病xīnzàngbìngheart disease心臟病
肝脏gānzàngliver肝臟
肮脏dirty骯髒
肾脏kidney腎臟
内脏viscera內臟
脏话profanity髒話
脏器internal organs臟器
脾脏spleen脾臟
脏腑inner organs臟腑
五脏five viscera of TCM, namely: heart 心[xīn], liver 肝[gān], spleen 脾[pí], lungs 肺[fèi] and kidneys 腎|肾[shèn]五臟
弄脏to make dirty弄髒
五脏六腑five viscera and six bowels (TCM)五臟六腑
脏乱in a mess髒亂
脏字obscenity髒字
脏兮兮dirty髒兮兮
脏乱差squalor髒亂差
脏水sewage髒水
脏病(coll.) venereal disease髒病
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 心脏 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 脏
Some synonyms for 脏 (zàng) include 肮脏 (āngzàng), which also means 'dirty', and 不干净 (bù gānjìng), meaning 'not clean'. These terms can be used interchangeably in many contexts.
Yes, 脏 (zàng) is commonly used in everyday conversation when discussing cleanliness or describing something as dirty. It's also important in medical discussions when referring to organs.
You can use 脏 (zàng) to describe something that is not clean, such as '这个房间太脏了' (This room is too dirty). In a medical context, you might say '脏器' (zàngqì) to refer to 'organs'. Understanding the context helps clarify its meaning.
脏 (zàng) primarily means 'dirty' or 'filthy' in Chinese. It can also refer to 'viscera' or 'organ' in an anatomical context. The meaning often depends on the context in which it is used.
Common phrases include 脏衣服 (dirty clothes) and 脏手 (dirty hands).
Focus on the context; 脏 specifically refers to dirtiness, while characters like 藏 (cáng) relate to hiding.
While typically informal, it can appear in formal medical discussions when referring to organs, but use with caution in other formal settings.
