How do you say "pollution" in Chinese?

污染

wū rǎn

Noun Hanzi

In Chinese, "pollution" is 污染 (wū rǎn).

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Pronunciation

This one reads "wū rǎn" with first tone, then third tone; picture your pitch held flat and steady, almost like humming one note; then the next syllable is dipping low then curling back up.

Writing and usage

污染 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

汽车加剧了城市的污染。

qì chē jiā jù le chéng shì de wū rǎn 。

Cars add to the city's pollution.

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How to remember 污染

Link "wū rǎn" to a vivid snapshot of when cars add to the city's pollution and the word pollution sticks.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 污染

How do you pronounce 污染?

This one reads "wū rǎn" with first tone, then third tone; picture your pitch held flat and steady, almost like humming one note; then the next syllable is dipping low then curling back up.

Is 污染 formal or casual?

污染 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 污染 used in Chinese?

污染 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 汽车加剧了城市的污染。 (Cars add to the city's pollution.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Pollution" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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