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A2 verb #3,000 가장 일반적인 7분 분량

汚れる

yogoreru 상위 3,000

연습하기 예시 노트와 팁 汚れる 30초 만에

설명 汚れる in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most basic physical meaning of 汚れる (yogoreru). It means 'to get dirty.' Think about your daily life: your hands getting dirty after playing outside, or your clothes getting dirty after eating. You will mostly see it in the past tense 'yogoreta' (got dirty) or 'yogorete imasu' (is dirty now). It is an intransitive verb, which means the thing itself is the subject. For example, 'Fuku ga yogoreta' means 'The clothes got dirty.' You don't need to say who did it. At this stage, just remember it as the opposite of 'being clean.' It is a very useful word for talking about chores and personal hygiene. You might also see it on signs or in simple picture books where characters get muddy. Don't worry about the kanji yet; focus on the sound 'yo-go-re-ru' and its connection to physical mess.

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At the A2 level, you begin to use 汚れる in more complete sentences with particles. You should learn to use the particle 'de' to explain *why* something got dirty. For example, 'Doro de yogoreta' (Got dirty with mud). You should also be able to distinguish between 汚れる (the verb: to get dirty) and 汚い (the adjective: dirty/messy). A2 learners should practice using the 'te-iru' form to describe the current state of an object, like 'Kono shatsu wa yogorete imasu' (This shirt is dirty). You will also encounter it in social contexts, like apologizing if you accidentally get something dirty. You should also start recognizing the kanji 汚 (dirt/dirty), which consists of the water radical on the left, suggesting that 'dirt' is often related to liquids or things that need washing with water. This level is about mastering the physical world applications of the word.

At the B1 level, you should expand your use of 汚れる to environmental and slightly more abstract contexts. You will hear it used in news reports about pollution (kougai) or water quality. For example, 'Kawa ga koujou no mizu de yogorete iru' (The river is polluted with factory water). You should also begin to understand the difference between 汚れる (yogoreru) and its transitive counterpart 汚す (yogosu). B1 learners should be comfortable using 汚れる in various grammatical structures, such as 'yogoreyasui' (easy to get dirty) or 'yogore-nikui' (hard to get dirty). You might also encounter the word in more formal settings, such as discussing the cleanliness of a city or a public facility. This is the stage where you move beyond just 'muddy clothes' to 'contaminated environments.'

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At the B2 level, you should be able to use 汚れる metaphorically. This includes concepts like 'reputation' (meiyo) or 'name' (na). For example, 'Kare no na ga yogoreta' (His name/reputation was tarnished). You should also understand the nuance of 汚れる in literature and media, where it can refer to the loss of innocence or the corruption of one's soul. B2 learners should be able to discuss the societal implications of 'yogore,' such as how it relates to Japanese concepts of purity and social standing. You should also be familiar with related nouns like 'yogore' (dirt/stain) and how they function in compound words. At this level, your understanding should include the subtle emotional weight the word carries—often a sense of regret, shame, or irreversible change.

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At the C1 level, you should have a nuanced understanding of 汚れる compared to more specialized synonyms like 濁る (nigoru - to become cloudy) or 穢れる (kegareru - to be spiritually defiled). You should be able to use 汚れる in sophisticated academic or professional discussions about environmental science, sociology, or ethics. You can analyze how the word is used in classical or modern literature to symbolize moral decay. C1 learners should also be aware of the historical development of the kanji and its various readings. You should be able to use the word in complex grammatical constructions, such as passive-causative or within long, descriptive clauses. You understand that 汚れる isn't just a state, but often a symbol for the loss of an ideal or the intrusion of the 'outside' world into a 'sacred' space.

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At the C2 level, you possess a native-like intuition for the word 汚れる. You understand the deepest cultural underpinnings of 'dirt' in Japanese thought, including its relation to Shinto concepts of 'kegare' and how 汚れる acts as the modern, secularized version of this ancient concept. You can pick up on the subtle irony or sarcasm when the word is used in political commentary or high-level social critique. You are comfortable using the word in any register, from extremely casual slang to highly formal legal or scientific discourse. You can distinguish between the physical, metaphorical, and spiritual layers of the word effortlessly, and you can explain these nuances to others. Your mastery includes an exhaustive knowledge of idioms, proverbs, and obscure literary references involving the concept of becoming soiled.

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연습하기 예시 노트와 팁

汚れる 30초 만에

Yogoreru is an intransitive verb meaning 'to get dirty' physically or metaphorically.
It is used for clothes, environments, and abstract things like reputation.
Commonly used in the 'te-iru' form (yogorete iru) to describe something that is currently dirty.
Distinguish it from 'yogosu' (to dirty something) and 'kegareru' (to be spiritually defiled).

The Japanese verb 汚れる (よごれる - yogoreru) is a fundamental intransitive verb used to describe the process of something becoming dirty, soiled, or contaminated. In its most literal sense, it refers to physical objects like clothing, hands, or surfaces accumulating dust, mud, or stains. However, as learners progress from A2 toward higher levels, they discover that 汚れる carries significant metaphorical weight, extending to the contamination of air, water, and even abstract concepts like a person's reputation or heart. Because it is an intransitive verb (自動詞 - jidoushi), the focus is on the state of the object itself rather than the person who caused the mess. This makes it essential for daily life, environmental discussions, and literature.

Core Physical Usage: When you step in a puddle, your shoes 汚れる. When a child plays in the park, their clothes 汚れる. It implies a transition from a clean state to an unclean one.

雨で靴が汚れました。 (My shoes got dirty because of the rain.)

Environmental Context: Used to describe pollution in nature, such as rivers becoming murky or the atmosphere becoming thick with smog.

The nuance of 汚れる is often involuntary. It describes a natural or accidental progression toward filth. In Japanese culture, which values cleanliness (kirei) both physically and spiritually, the act of becoming 'dirty' is often viewed with a sense of regret or a need for purification. This is why you will often hear it in the past tense (汚れました or 汚れちゃった) to express that something has unfortunately become soiled. In social contexts, it can describe the tarnishing of a name (名が汚れる) or the loss of innocence (心が汚れる). Understanding this word requires recognizing that it isn't just about mud; it's about the loss of an ideal state of purity.

この川は工場排水で汚れている。 (This river is polluted with industrial waste.)

Abstract Usage: Refers to the corruption of character or the sullying of a legacy. This is common in drama and literature.

Using 汚れる correctly involves mastering its intransitive nature and its various conjugations. Because it is a Group 2 verb (Ichidan), its conjugation is straightforward: simply drop 'ru' and add the desired ending. The most common form you will encounter is the past tense yogoreta or the state-of-being yogorete iru. When you say something 'is dirty,' you often use the state-resultative form 汚れている to indicate that the act of getting dirty happened in the past and the dirt is still there now.

シャツがコーヒーで汚れました。 (My shirt got dirty with coffee.)

Grammatically, 汚れる usually takes the particle が (ga) for the subject that is becoming dirty. If you want to specify the cause of the dirt (the medium), you use the particle で (de). For example, 'dirty with mud' is doro de yogoreru. It is important not to confuse this with the transitive yogosu, which takes the particle を (wo). If you say 'I dirtied the floor,' you use yuka wo yogoshita. If you simply observe that 'the floor is dirty,' you say yuka ga yogorete iru.

Common Conjugations: Dictionary: 汚れる (yogoreru)
Polite: 汚れます (yogoremasu)
Te-form: 汚れて (yogorete)
Potential: 汚れられる (yogorerareru)

In more advanced contexts, 汚れる can be used in the passive or causative-passive, though these are rarer because the verb itself already describes a change of state. You might see the potential form in warnings: yogoreru kamoshirenai (it might get dirty). This is often seen on signs near construction sites or in art galleries where touching items is prohibited.

手が汚れないように手袋をしましょう。 (Let's wear gloves so our hands don't get dirty.)

In daily Japanese life, 汚れる is ubiquitous. You will hear it most frequently in domestic settings, particularly involving laundry, cleaning, and childcare. Parents often tell their children, 'Fuku ga yogoreru yo!' (Your clothes will get dirty!) when they see them heading toward a mud pile. At a restaurant, if you drop food on your lap, you might exclaim, 'Aa, zubon ga yogorechatta!' (Oh, my pants got dirty!). The 'chatta' ending (contraction of -te shimatta) is very common here because getting dirty is usually an undesirable, accidental event.

In the Kitchen & Home: Hear it when discussing filters, sponges, or towels that need changing because they have become soiled over time.

換気扇が油で汚れていますね。 (The ventilation fan is dirty with oil, isn't it?)

Beyond the home, 汚れる is a key term in news reports concerning the environment. When reporting on oil spills, smog levels in cities, or water quality in local rivers, journalists use 汚れる to describe the degradation of natural resources. In a professional context, a mechanic might warn you that your engine oil is yogorete iru and needs to be replaced. In fashion and retail, staff might use it when inspecting a garment: 'Koko ga chotto yogorete imasu ne' (It's a little dirty here).

In literature and anime, the word takes on a darker tone. A villain might talk about how the world is yogorete iru (corrupt/filthy), or a protagonist might lament that their hands are yogoreta (implying they have committed sins or crimes). This dramatic usage elevates the word from simple laundry talk to profound moral commentary. You will also see it on product labels, such as 'yogore-otoshi' (stain remover) or 'yogore-nikui' (stain-resistant).

この洗剤は、ひどく汚れた服にも効きます。 (This detergent works even on heavily soiled clothes.)

The most frequent mistake English speakers make is confusing the intransitive 汚れる (yogoreru) with the transitive 汚す (yogosu). In English, 'to dirty' can be used both ways: 'The floor dirtied' (less common) or 'I dirtied the floor.' In Japanese, these are strictly separated. If you use 汚れる when you mean 汚す, you are implying that the object became dirty on its own without your involvement, which can sound like you are avoiding responsibility!

Transitive vs. Intransitive: Wrong: 私は服を汚れました (I dirtied my clothes).
Right: 私は服を汚しました (I dirtied my clothes) OR 服が汚れました (My clothes got dirty).

Another common error is using 汚れる when the adjective 汚い (kitanai) is more appropriate. 汚れる describes a change—the process of *becoming* dirty. Kitanai describes a static state or an inherent quality. If a room has been messy for years, it is kitanai. If you just tracked mud into a clean room, you would say it yogoreta. Using the verb implies that there was a 'clean' state prior to the current one.

× この部屋は汚れています。 (This room is dirty - implies it just happened)
○ この部屋は汚いです。 (This room is dirty/messy - general state)

Learners also struggle with the difference between yogoreru and kegareru. While both use the same kanji (汚), kegareru is strictly for spiritual, moral, or religious impurity. You would never use kegareru to talk about your laundry. Conversely, using yogoreru to talk about a sacred shrine being 'defiled' might sound too casual or physical, though it is technically possible. Stick to yogoreru for 95% of daily situations.

Depending on the type of 'dirt' and the context, Japanese has several alternatives to 汚れる. Choosing the right one makes your Japanese sound more natural and precise. For example, if something is specifically 'stained' (like a coffee spot on a shirt), you might use 染みる (shimiru) or talk about シミ (shimi). If something is 'dusty,' you might use 埃をかぶる (hokori wo kaburu).

汚れる vs. 穢れる (Kegareru): 汚れる: Physical dirt, pollution, or general loss of purity.
穢れる: Religious or moral defilement (e.g., death, sin, taboo).
汚れる vs. 濁る (Nigoru): 汚れる: To become dirty/polluted.
濁る: Specifically for liquids or air becoming cloudy or muddy (e.g., a muddy river).

Another related word is 散らかる (chirakaru), which means 'to be cluttered' or 'to be messy.' A room can be chirakatte iru (toys everywhere) without being yogorete iru (mud on the carpet). Conversely, a room can be perfectly tidy but yogorete iru if the floor hasn't been mopped in months. For environmental pollution, the noun 汚染 (osen) is often used in formal reports, derived from the same kanji.

空気が排気ガスで汚染されている。 (The air is contaminated with exhaust gas.)

How Formal Is It?

재미있는 사실

In ancient Japan, the concept of 'dirt' was not just physical but linked to 'kegare' (spiritual pollution), which was believed to cause disasters and illness.

발음 가이드

UK yo.ɡo.ɾe.ɾɯ

US joʊ.ɡɔ.reɪ.ru

Flat pitch (Heiban) in many dialects, but can vary. Generally, no strong syllable stress.

라임이 맞는 단어

Awareru Koboreru Wasereru Hagureru Umareru Nureru Yureru Hareru

자주 하는 실수

Pronouncing 'yo' like 'you'.
Pronouncing the Japanese 'r' as an English 'r'.
Failing to distinguish the 'o' and 'u' sounds clearly.
Stress on the wrong syllable.
Confusing it with 'yogore' (the noun).

난이도

독해 2/5

Kanji is common but simple. Furigana is often provided for beginners.

쓰기 3/5

The kanji 汚 requires attention to the water radical and the right side strokes.

말하기 2/5

Pronunciation is easy, but distinguishing from 'yogosu' is key.

듣기 2/5

Clear sound, easy to pick up in context.

다음에 무엇을 배울까

선수 학습

水 (Mizu) 服 (Fuku) 手 (Te) 洗う (Arau) 綺麗 (Kirei)

다음에 배울 것

汚す (Yogosu) 汚い (Kitanai) 掃除 (Souji) 洗濯 (Sentaku) 壊れる (Kowareru)

고급

汚染 (Osen) 汚職 (Oshoku) 穢れる (Kegareru) 濁る (Nigoru) 浄化 (Jouka)

알아야 할 문법

Intransitive Verbs (Jidoushi)

ドアが開く vs ドアを開ける (Yogoreru follows the 'aku' pattern).

Te-iru for State

窓が割れている (The window is broken) / 服が汚れている (The clothes are dirty).

Verb Stem + Yasui/Nikui

この靴は汚れやすい (These shoes get dirty easily).

Particle 'de' for Cause

雪で電車が遅れる (Train is late due to snow) / 泥で服が汚れる (Clothes dirty due to mud).

Noun Modification

汚れた服 (Dirty clothes) - Past tense verb acting as an adjective.

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수준별 예문

手が汚れました。

My hands got dirty.

Subject (te) + ga + past tense verb.

服が汚れますよ。

Your clothes will get dirty.

Future/Present tense used as a warning.

靴が汚れましたか。

Did your shoes get dirty?

Question form with 'ka'.

このタオルは汚れています。

This towel is dirty.

Te-iru form showing current state.

公園で服が汚れました。

My clothes got dirty at the park.

Location particle 'de'.

顔が汚れていますよ。

Your face is dirty.

Sentence ending 'yo' for new information.

汚れました。洗いたいです。

It got dirty. I want to wash it.

Simple past + tai (want to) form.

白いくつは汚れやすいです。

White shoes get dirty easily.

Verb stem + yasui (easy to).

雨でズボンが汚れました。

My pants got dirty because of the rain.

Particle 'de' indicating cause (rain).

手が汚れたので、洗いました。

My hands got dirty, so I washed them.

Reasoning with 'node'.

このシャツは汚れが落ちにくいです。

This shirt's dirt is hard to remove.

Noun 'yogore' + ochinikui (hard to fall off).

汚れた服を洗濯機に入れました。

I put the dirty clothes in the washing machine.

Past tense verb modifying a noun.

床が汚れているから、掃除しましょう。

The floor is dirty, so let's clean it.

Reasoning with 'kara' + mashou (let's).

ココアでスカートが汚れちゃった。

Oh no, my skirt got dirty with cocoa.

Chaur form (regret/accident).

手が汚れるから、触らないでください。

Don't touch it because your hands will get dirty.

Negative request 'naide kudasai'.

外で遊ぶと、すぐに汚れます。

When you play outside, you get dirty quickly.

Conditional 'to' (whenever/if).

工場のせいで、川の水が汚れました。

The river water became polluted because of the factory.

Negative cause 'no sei de'.

都会は空気が汚れていると言われています。

It is said that the air in cities is polluted.

Passive reporting 'to iwarete iru'.

この素材は汚れにくいのが特徴です。

A feature of this material is that it doesn't get dirty easily.

Verb stem + nikui (hard to).

汚れが目立つので、黒い服を着ます。

Since dirt stands out, I wear black clothes.

Intransitive verb 'medatsu' (to stand out).

車が泥でひどく汚れてしまった。

The car got terribly dirty with mud.

Te-shimatta (completed/regret).

フィルターが汚れると、効率が悪くなります。

When the filter gets dirty, efficiency decreases.

Conditional 'to' + noun clause.

海が汚れるのを防ぎたいです。

I want to prevent the ocean from becoming polluted.

Nominalizing with 'no' + 'wo fusegu'.

手が汚れるのを気にせずに作業した。

I worked without worrying about my hands getting dirty.

Ni sezu ni (without doing).

政治スキャンダルで彼の名は汚れた。

His name was tarnished by the political scandal.

Metaphorical use of 'na' (name/reputation).

金に目がくらんで、心が汚れてしまった。

Blinded by money, his heart became corrupt.

Metaphorical use of 'kokoro' (heart/soul).

一度汚れた評判を取り戻すのは難しい。

It is difficult to regain a reputation once it has been tarnished.

Noun modification with past tense.

この川はかつてほど汚れていない。

This river is not as polluted as it once was.

Comparison 'hodo... nai'.

都会の喧騒に揉まれて、純粋な心が汚れていく。

Being tossed about in the city's hustle, my pure heart is becoming soiled.

V-te iku (continuing process).

不正な手段で手に入れた金は、手が汚れる。

Money obtained through dishonest means dirties one's hands.

Idiomatic 'te ga yogoreru' (to do dirty work).

汚れを知らない子供のような瞳をしていた。

He had eyes like a child who knows no 'dirt' (innocence).

Noun 'yogore' meaning 'sin/corruption'.

どんなに汚れても、魂までは売らない。

No matter how much I get 'dirty', I won't sell my soul.

Concessive 'donna ni... te mo'.

近代化の過程で、多くの自然が汚れていった。

In the process of modernization, much of nature became polluted.

Historical process description.

組織の腐敗により、その聖域は汚された。

Due to organizational corruption, that sanctuary was defiled.

Passive form 'yogosareta' used formally.

彼は自らの手を汚れることを厭わなかった。

He did not hesitate to get his own hands dirty (do the dirty work).

Nominalized clause 'koto wo itowanai'.

画面が手垢で汚れているのが気になって集中できない。

I can't concentrate because the screen being dirty with fingerprints bothers me.

Causal 'no ga ki ni natte'.

大気汚染により、歴史的建造物の表面が汚れている。

Due to air pollution, the surfaces of historical buildings are becoming soiled.

Technical/Academic context.

彼の経歴には、一点の汚れもなかった。

There wasn't a single stain on his career record.

Noun 'yogore' meaning 'flaw/stain'.

世俗の欲にまみれて、高潔な精神が汚れてしまった。

Smeared with worldly desires, his noble spirit became corrupted.

Literary 'mamirete' (covered in).

油膜で汚れた水面が、不気味な光を放っている。

The water surface, dirty with an oil film, is emitting an eerie light.

Descriptive relative clause.

言語が外来語の氾濫によって汚れるという議論がある。

There is an argument that language becomes 'polluted' by an overflow of loanwords.

Linguistic purism context.

神聖な儀式が、部外者の侵入によって汚れてしまった。

The sacred ritual was defiled by the intrusion of outsiders.

Spiritual/Ritual context.

血に汚れた歴史を直視するのは、容易なことではない。

It is no easy task to look directly at a history stained with blood.

Metaphorical 'chi ni yogoreta'.

その美学は、商業主義によって汚れることを拒絶している。

That aesthetic rejects being soiled by commercialism.

Abstract philosophical stance.

権力の座に長く留まれば、自ずと心は汚れるものだ。

If one stays in power for long, the heart naturally becomes corrupt.

Gnomic 'mono da' (stating a truth).

万葉の昔から、人の心は恋によって汚れ、また清められてきた。

Since the ancient days of the Manyoshu, human hearts have been soiled and purified by love.

Literary/Historical reference.

情報の洪水の中で、真実が汚れて見えなくなっている。

In the flood of information, the truth is becoming soiled and invisible.

Modern sociological critique.

彼は、自らの信念が汚れるくらいなら死を選ぶだろう。

He would choose death rather than let his beliefs be compromised/soiled.

Comparison 'kurai nara'.

자주 쓰는 조합

服が汚れる

手が汚れる

空気が汚れる

名が汚れる

心が汚れる

川が汚れる

靴が汚れる

汚れが落ちる

汚れが目立つ

油で汚れる

자주 쓰는 구문

汚れ仕事

— Dirty work. Can mean literal cleaning or metaphorical unethical tasks.

彼は汚れ仕事を引き受けた。

汚れを知らない

— Innocent; pure. Literally 'not knowing dirt'.

汚れを知らない子供。

汚れが目立つ

— The dirt stands out/is noticeable.

白は汚れが目立つ。

ひどく汚れる

— To get terribly/severely dirty.

作業着がひどく汚れた。

汚れを落とす

— To remove dirt/stains.

石鹸で汚れを落とす。

汚れにくい

— Stain-resistant; hard to get dirty.

汚れにくい壁紙。

汚れやすい

— Easy to get dirty.

雨の日は汚れやすい。

一点の汚れもない

— Spotless; perfectly clean/pure.

一点の汚れもない雪。

汚れがつく

— To get a stain/dirt on something.

シャツに汚れがついた。

汚れ物

— Laundry; items that are dirty.

汚れ物をカゴに入れる。

자주 혼동되는 단어

汚れる vs 汚す (Yogosu)

Transitive: 'I dirtied the shirt.' vs Intransitive: 'The shirt got dirty.'

汚れる vs 汚い (Kitanai)

Adjective: describes a general state of being messy/dirty.

汚れる vs 穢れる (Kegareru)

Used for spiritual/religious defilement, not physical dirt.

관용어 및 표현

"手が汚れる"

— To get one's hands dirty (involved in something bad).

そんな犯罪に手を汚すな。

Metaphorical

"身を汚す"

— To disgrace oneself; to lead a shameful life.

不摂生で身を汚す。

Literary

"名を汚す"

— To bring shame to one's name/family.

学校の名を汚すようなことはするな。

Formal

"浮世の垢にまみれる"

— To be soiled by the dirt of the fleeting world (loss of innocence).

都会で浮世の垢にまみれる。

Poetic

"顔に泥を塗る"

— To humiliate someone (literally 'to smear mud on a face').

親の顔に泥を塗る。

Common

"汚れを濯ぐ"

— To clear one's name; to wash away a disgrace.

汚名を濯ぐために戦う。

Formal

"心が洗われる"

— To feel purified (opposite of yogoreru).

美しい景色に心が洗われる。

Common

"清濁併せ呑む"

— To be big-hearted enough to accept both the pure and the dirty.

リーダーには清濁併せ呑む器量が必要だ。

Academic/Proverb

"泥を被る"

— To take the blame for someone else.

彼が泥を被って辞職した。

Business

"水に流す"

— To forgive and forget (washing away the 'dirt' of a grudge).

過去のことは水に流そう。

Common

혼동하기 쉬운

汚れる vs 濁る (Nigoru)

Both involve things becoming 'unclean'.

Nigoru is specifically for transparency in liquids or air. Yogoreru is for any surface or abstract concept.

川の水が濁っている。

汚れる vs 散らかる (Chirakaru)

Both describe a room that isn't clean.

Chirakaru means things are out of place (cluttered). Yogoreru means there is actual dirt/stains.

部屋が散らかっている。

汚れる vs 染みる (Shimiru)

Both involve stains.

Shimiru means the liquid has soaked into the fibers. Yogoreru is the general result.

醤油が染みて汚れた。

汚れる vs 錆びる (Sabiru)

Both involve degradation of a surface.

Sabiru is specifically for metal rusting. Yogoreru is for dirt/pollution.

自転車が錆びている。

汚れる vs 剥げる (Hageru)

Both involve a surface changing for the worse.

Hageru means paint or hair is coming off. Yogoreru means dirt is being added.

ペンキが剥げている。

문장 패턴

[Noun] が汚れました。

手が汚れました。

[Noun] が [Cause] で汚れました。

服が泥で汚れました。

[Noun] は汚れやすいです。

白は汚れやすいです。

[Noun] が汚れているので、[Action]。

床が汚れているので、掃除します。

[Abstract Noun] が汚れる。

名誉が汚れる。

汚れを知らない [Noun]。

汚れを知らない子供。

[Noun] が [Agent] によって汚される。

海がゴミによって汚される。

[Verb-stem] 汚れる。

使い古されて汚れる。

어휘 가족

명사

汚れ (Yogore - dirt/stain)

汚染 (Osen - pollution)

汚名 (Omei - stigma/bad name)

汚物 (Obutsu - filth/waste)

동사

汚す (Yogosu - to dirty/transitive)

汚れる (Yogoreru - to get dirty/intransitive)

汚損する (Oson suru - to damage/soil)

汚職する (Oshoku suru - to be corrupt)

형용사

汚い (Kitanai - dirty/messy)

汚らわしい (Kegarawashii - filthy/disgusting/vile)

사용법

frequency

Extremely common in daily life, especially regarding laundry, children, and cleaning.

자주 하는 실수

Using 'wo' with 'yogoreru'. → Using 'ga'.
Yogoreru is intransitive and cannot take a direct object.
Confusing 'yogoreru' with 'kegareru'. → Use 'yogoreru' for physical dirt.
'Kegareru' is for spiritual/religious taboo.
Using 'yogoreru' for 'messy/cluttered'. → Use 'chirakaru'.
'Yogoreru' is for filth/stains, not organization.
Saying 'yogoreru' for 'to wash'. → Use 'arau'.
Yogoreru is the problem, arau is the solution.
Forgetting 'te-iru' for current state. → Use 'yogorete iru'.
Just saying 'yogoreru' means it 'will get dirty'.

팁

Avoid the Transitive Trap

Don't say 'Watashi wa shatsu wo yogoreta.' Use 'Shatsu ga yogoreta' instead.

The 'Te-iru' State

When you see dirt on something right now, say 'yogorete iru'.

Purity Culture

Understand that 'yogoreru' often carries a stronger negative nuance in Japan than 'get dirty' does in the West.

Kanji Recognition

Look for the 'water' radical on the left of 汚 to remember it relates to things that need washing.

Softening with -chau

Use 'yogorechatt' to sound more natural and express regret about the mess.

Stains vs. Dirt

For specific spots, mention 'shimi' (stain) along with 'yogore'.

Professional Use

In a repair shop, 'yogorete iru' is a neutral way to say a part needs cleaning.

Yogurt Spill

Remember: Yogurt on your shirt = Yogoreru.

Compound Words

Learn 'osen' (pollution) as it uses the same kanji and is very common in news.

Stagnant Water

Think of dirty, unmoving water to remember the kanji 汚.

암기하기

기억법

Think of 'YO-GO-RE-RU'. 'YO' (You) 'GO' (Go) 'RE' (Ready) 'RU' (Run) -> You go ready to run through the mud, and you get dirty!

시각적 연상

Imagine a white shirt with a bright red 'O' (from the kanji 汚) stain on it. The water radical on the left looks like three drops of spilled coffee.

Word Web

Dirty Stain Pollution Laundry Mud Reputation Dust Washing

챌린지

Try to find three things in your house that are 'yogorete iru' and say them out loud in Japanese.

어원

The kanji 汚 (o/yogoreru) combines the water radical (氵) with the phonetic component (于), which originally meant 'stagnant' or 'curved'. It suggests water that is not flowing and thus becomes stagnant and dirty.

원래 의미: Stagnant, dirty water.

Japonic / Sino-Japanese (Kanji)

문화적 맥락

Be careful when using 'yogorete iru' to describe a person's appearance, as it can be very offensive. Stick to objects or environments.

In English, 'dirty' is often used casually. In Japanese, calling something 'yogorete iru' is a direct observation of a change in state, while 'kitanai' can be a harsh judgment.

Spirited Away (The Stink Spirit being 'yogoreta') Manyoshu poems about water purity Environmental slogans like 'Umi wo yogosanaide'

실생활에서 연습하기

실제 사용 상황

Laundry/Cleaning

汚れが落ちない
汚れ物を出して
汚れがひどい
真っ白に洗う

Nature/Environment

川が汚れている
空気が汚れる
海洋汚染
自然を守る

Body/Hygiene

手が汚れた
顔が汚れている
足を洗う
爪が汚い

Reputation/Morality

名が汚れる
手が汚れる
心が汚れている
汚名を晴らす

Shopping/Retail

汚れがあります
汚れにくい素材
返品できますか
汚れをチェックする

대화 시작하기

"「雨で靴が汚れちゃったんだけど、どこかで洗えるかな？」 (My shoes got dirty in the rain; I wonder if I can wash them somewhere?)"

"「このシャツ、汚れが全然落ちないんだ。いい洗剤知ってる？」 (The stains on this shirt won't come out at all. Do you know a good detergent?)"

"「最近、この街の空気も汚れてきたと思わない？」 (Don't you think the air in this city has become polluted lately?)"

"「子供が公園で遊ぶと、すぐに服が汚れちゃうよね。」 (When kids play in the park, their clothes get dirty right away, don't they?)"

"「手が汚れるから、軍手をしたほうがいいよ。」 (Your hands will get dirty, so you should wear work gloves.)"

일기 주제

今日、何かが汚れましたか？どうやって綺麗にしましたか？ (Did something get dirty today? How did you clean it?)

あなたの国で、環境が汚れている場所はありますか？ (Is there a place in your country where the environment is polluted?)

「手が汚れる」ような仕事をどう思いますか？ (What do you think about 'dirty' jobs?)

子供の頃、泥で汚れるまで遊んだ思い出はありますか？ (Do you have memories of playing until you were covered in mud as a child?)

心が汚れないように、気をつけていることはありますか？ (Is there anything you do to keep your heart from becoming 'soiled'?)

자주 묻는 질문

10 질문

Usually, 'chirakatte iru' (cluttered) or 'kitanai' (dirty) is better. 'Yogoreru' implies the floor or walls actually have dirt on them.

'Yogoreta' focuses on the event of getting dirty. 'Yogorete iru' focuses on the current state of being dirty.

Yes, 'kuuki ga yogoreru' is very common, though 'osen' is used in more formal/scientific contexts.

Literally (muddy) yes, but metaphorically it means they are corrupt or have lost their innocence.

You can say 'yogore-nikui' (hard to get dirty) or 'yogore-boushi' (dirt prevention).

No. 'Kegareru' is religious/spiritual. You wouldn't use it for a dirty shirt.

The subject takes 'ga'. The cause (mud, oil) takes 'de'.

It is a Group 2 (Ichidan) verb. Yogore-ru, Yogore-masu.

Yes, 'na ga yogoreru' (one's name gets dirty) is a common expression.

Yes, 'yogoresaseru', but usually people just use the transitive 'yogosu'.

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