Chinese Dictionary

Usage of the character 土

earth
dust
clay
local
indigenous
crude opium
unsophisticated
one of the eight categories of ancient musical instruments 八音 (bāyīn)

Tu (ethnic group)
surname Tu

potato (CL:個／个 (gè))
(Tw) peanut (CL:顆／颗 (kē))

local tyrant
local strong man
(slang) nouveau riche

dirty soil
muck
trash

rustic
uncouth
unsophisticated

aardvark

homeland
hot piece of real estate

(geology) silt

(Buddhism) Pure Land, usually refers to Amitabha Buddha's Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhavati in Sanskrit)

local god
genius loci

(coll.) commie (derog., used by the KMT)
CCP, the party of the people (used by CCP supporters)
pro-Beijing camp (HK)
(abbr.) Communist Party of Turkey
(abbr.) Communist Party of Turkmenistan

legendary land of hermits
secret land
the back of beyond

earth dam
dam of earth and rocks (as opposed to waterproof dam of clay or concrete)

Putog, former county 1983-1999 in Zogang county 左貢縣／左贡县 ( Zuǒgòngxiàn), Chamdo prefecture, Tibet

aardwolf (Proteles cristatus), a small insectivorous relative of the hyena

subsoil

mound
hillock

to break ground (prior to building sth)
to start building

Tucson (city in Arizona)

to guard one's territory
to protect the country

sandy soil

silt; silty soil

clay

aardvark

Sino-Turkish

earth; soil; mud; clay

clay ox
mound of earth on a dike (ready for emergency repairs)

burial (in earth)

land
soil
territory
CL:片 (piàn),塊／块 (kuài)

to bury
buried
interred

dust

traditional method

ground beetle
(coll.) professional or entrepreneur who, unlike a 海歸／海归 (hǎiguī), has never studied overseas
(dialect) country bumpkin

bauxite
aluminum ore

earth God

earthenware

heated brick common bed

to plow (loosen the soil)

temperature of the soil

Australia (slang term reflecting a perception of Australia as something of a backwater)

produced locally
local product (with distinctive native features)

scorched earth

local accent

sun-dried mudbrick; adobe brick

farmland

native state (term used by British Colonial power to refer to independent states of India or Africa)

to earth up

(of a taste or smell) earthy

dirt road

Tumen or Bumin Khan (-553), founder of Göktürk khanate

land reform (abbr. for 土地改革 (tudǐgǎigě))

building
construction
civil engineering

old-fashioned; unstylish

fertile land

native dog
mole cricket (colloquial word for agricultural pest Gryllotalpa 螻蛄／蝼蛄 (lóugū))

potter's clay
kaolin

the East
China

sliced bread (loanword from "toast")
government-appointed hereditary tribal headman in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties

traditional Hakka communal residence in Fujian, typically a large multistory circular structure built around a central shrine

dirty soil
dung and dirt
(fig.) worthless thing

vernacular
slang
dialect
patois

territory

country bumpkin
redneck (derog)

freshly dug up earth

loess (yellow sandy soil typical of north China)

(agr.) immature soil
virgin soil

bandit

mud brick
adobe
unfired earthenware

mound

moist, newly-tilled soil

native country; one's homeland

earthen kiln
loess cave

Toulon (city in France)

(of seeds etc) to fall to the ground
(of the sun or moon) to set

red soil
laterite

earthen levee

Tuku town in Yunlin county 雲林縣／云林县 ( Yúnlínxiàn), Taiwan

local produce

(agriculture) loam
(literary) land; territory

rare earth (chemistry)

dust
(soil taxonomy) spodosol

free-range chicken

Saturn (planet)

cubic meter of earth (unit of measurement)
excavated soil
earthwork (abbr. for 土方工程 (tǔfānggōngchéng))
(TCM) folk remedy

(neologism c. 2015) (slang) (used jokingly) to live on dirt (typically because one has spent all one's money on consumer items)

frozen earth
permafrost
tundra

layer of soil
ground level

topsoil
surface dust

raw opium

to break ground
to start digging
to plough
to break through the ground (of seedling)
fig. the start of a building project

soil

to heap earth (to close a tomb)
a mound (covering a tomb)

dialect
patois

surface soil
topsoil

Rutog county in Ngari prefecture, Tibet, Tibetan: Ru thog rdzong

waste soil (excavation waste, contaminated soil etc)
(post-apocalyptic) wasteland

to dig up
to appear in an excavation
unearthed
to come up out of the ground

moon of Saturn

Tucheng city in New Taipei City 新北市 ( Xīnběishì), Taiwan

domestic and foreign

aboriginal

alkaline soil

territory

water and soil
surface water
natural environment (extended meaning)
climate

see 香附 (xiāngfù)

native soil
one's native land
one's hometown
local (to an area)

natural conditions and social customs of a place
local conditions

homespun cloth

country's territory
national land

embankment between fields

homemade
earthen

civil engineering
same as 土木工程 (tǔmùgōngchéng)

rammed earth

Tu or White Mongol ethnic group of Qinghai

one's native country
native
local
metropolitan territory

happy place; paradise; haven

mound
hillock
barrow

native
aborigine
clay figure

julienned potato

scoundrel with an honest demeanor

bentonite (mineralogy)

cambisol (soil taxonomy)

excavator
backhoe

ferrosol (soil taxonomy)

kaolin (clay)
china clay

Putog, former county 1983-1999 in Zogang county 左貢縣／左贡县 ( Zuǒgòngxiàn), Chamdo prefecture, Tibet

Titan (moon of Saturn), aka Saturn VI

local wealthy landlord
country money-bags
rich provincial

permafrost

earth-moving machine
mechanical digger

Rutog county in Ngari prefecture, Tibet, Tibetan: Ru thog rdzong

histosol (soil taxonomy)

dill seed

Tujia ethnic group of Hunan

mashed potato

local tutelary god (in Chinese folk religion) (same as 土地公／土地公 ( Tǔdì Gōng))

aridisol (soil taxonomy)

anthrosol (soil taxonomy)

local tyrant

permafrost
tundra
layer of frozen soil

rammer
tamper

Tudi Gong, the local tutelary god (in Chinese folk religion)

Turkmen
(Tw, HK) Turkmenistan

gleysol (soil taxonomy)

cement (loanword) (old)

groundhog

(Tw) debris flow
mudslide

Tuku town in Yunlin county 雲林縣／云林县 ( Yúnlínxiàn), Taiwan

see 鯪／鲮 (líng)

mortar
concrete
cement

Enceladus (moon of Saturn), aka Saturn II

local policy
regional regulations

to localize
localization

alkaline soil

Khartoum, capital of Sudan

vertisol (soil taxonomy)

local faction
pro-localization faction (in Taiwanese politics)

bulldozer

pedology (soil study)

isohumisol (soil taxonomy)

bauxite
aluminum ore

Tucheng city in New Taipei City 新北市 ( Xīnběishì), Taiwan

humus (topsoil of decayed vegetation)

ferralsol (soil taxonomy)

Turkey

Tudou, a Chinese video-sharing website

Pure Land Buddhism

argosol (soil taxonomy)

hillbilly
yokel
redneck
bumpkin

(TCM) folk remedy

fireproof stone
flame-resistant material

country bumpkin
boor
unsophisticated country person (humble, applied to oneself)
burial mound

local specialty

concrete

excavator

excavated soil and rock
construction spoil

Saturday (used in ancient Chinese astronomy)

primosol (soil taxonomy)

see 馬鮫魚／马鲛鱼 (mǎjiāoyú)

temple dedicated to the local tutelary god 土地神 (tǔdìshén) and the god of cereals

one's body as wood and earth
undecorated
unvarnished (truth)

halosol (soil taxonomy)

gneiss

erhua variant of 土坎 (tǔkǎn)

indigenous person
aboriginal

red brick clay

land resources

tǔlìgōngchéng

geotechnical engineering

turquoise (gemstone) (loanword)

lit. earthen steps and a thatched hut
frugal living conditions (idiom)

tǔyángbìngjǔ

combining native and foreign methods

Huángtǔ Gāoyuán

Loess Plateau of northwest China

zhátǔdòupiàn

potato chips
crisps
fried potato

not acclimatized

tǔháolièshēn

local bosses, shady gentry (idiom); dominant local mafia

huǒshānhuītǔ

andosol (soil taxonomy)

jītǔchéngshān

lit. piling up dirt eventually creates a mountain (idiom)
fig. success is the cumulation of lots of small actions

juǎntǔchónglái

lit. to return in a swirl of dust (idiom)
fig. to regroup and come back even stronger
to make a comeback

jiǎntǔjīnshǔ

alkaline earth (i.e. beryllium Be 鈹／铍, magnesium Mg 鎂／镁, calcium Ca 鈣／钙, strontium Sr 鍶／锶, barium Ba 鋇／钡 and radium Ra 鐳／镭)

Táiwāntǔgǒu

Formosan mountain dog, a breed native to Taiwan

miànrúhuītǔ

ashen-faced (idiom)

tǔmùgōngchéng

civil engineering

clay ox, wooden horse (idiom); shape without substance
worthless object

rare earth element (chemistry)

ashen-faced (idiom)

cùntǔcùnjīn

land is extremely expensive (in that area) (idiom)

to regard as useless
to view as no better than weeds

zhátǔdòutiáo

french fries
(hot) potato chips

huītóutǔliǎn

head and face filthy with grime (idiom)
covered in dirt
dejected and depressed

turquoise (gemstone) (loanword)

ashen-faced (idiom)

to carry out large scale construction

buried and at rest (idiom); Resquiescat in pacem (RIP)

rustic
uncouth
unsophisticated

tǔmùxínghái

earth and wood framework (idiom); plain and undecorated body

tǔwèiqínghuà

cheesy pick-up lines

fēngtǔrénqíng

local conditions and customs (idiom)

tǔdàobùxíng

old-fashioned
extremely kitsch

shuǐtǔbǎochí

soil conservation

huángtǔdìmào

loess landform

land reform

shǒutǔyǒuzé

duty to defend the country (idiom)

tǔshēngtǔzhǎng

locally born and bred
indigenous
home-grown

kāijiāngtuòtǔ

(idiom) to expand one's territory; to conquer new lands
(fig.) to expand one's business into new markets

(of a stranger) not accustomed to the climate of a new place
not acclimatized

lit. earthen steps and a small cottage
frugal living conditions (idiom)

guótǔ'ānquán

homeland security

tǔyángjiéhé

combining native and foreign methods (idiom); sophisticated and many-sided

yǒngjiǔdòngtǔ

permafrost

ground breaking ceremony

niántǔdònghuà

clay animation
Claymation

tǔfānggōngchéng

earthwork

Turkish (language)

to look upon as dirt
considered worthless

tǔbēngwǎjiě

to collapse
to fall apart

unsophisticated
rustic
uncouth

a Turk
Turkish person

Turkmen (person)

rare earth element

lit. to squander money like dirt (idiom)
fig. to spend money like water
extravagant

lǐngtǔwánzhěng

territorial integrity

(coll.) rustic; uncouth

huángtiānhòutǔ

heaven and earth (idiom)

āntǔzhòngqiān

to hate to leave a place where one has lived long
to be attached to one's native land and unwilling to leave it

Tǔ'ěrqíruǎntáng

土耳其软糖

[土耳其軟糖]

Turkish delight
Lokum

mùkēnghāngtǔcéng

墓坑夯土层

[墓坑夯土層]

layer filled with rammed earth in a tomb pit (archeology)

Tǔmòtèzuǒqí

土默特左旗

[土默特左旗]

Tumed left banner, Mongolian Tümed züün khoshuu, in Hohhot 呼和浩特 ( Hūhéhàotè), Inner Mongolia

suānlàtǔdòusī

酸辣土豆丝

[酸辣土豆絲]

hot and sour shredded potato

tǔlāfúshìjūn

土拉弗氏菌

[土拉弗氏菌]

Francisella tularensis

zhátǔdòutiáor

炸土豆条儿

[炸土豆條兒]

erhua variant of 炸土豆條／炸土豆条 (zhátǔdòutiáo)

Tǔmòtèyòuqí

土默特右旗

[土默特右旗]

Tumed right banner, Mongolian Tümed baruun khoshuu, in Baotou 包頭／包头 ( Bāotóu), Inner Mongolia

Guótǔ Anquánjú

国土安全局

[國土安全局]

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

gānbiāntǔdòusī

干煸土豆丝

[乾煸土豆絲]

dry-fried potato slices (Chinese dish)

Tǔkùmànsītǎn

土库曼斯坦

[土庫曼斯坦]

Turkmenistan

Tǔ'ěrqísītǎn

土尔其斯坦

[土爾其斯坦]

Turkestan

huángtǔbùlùtiān

黄土不露天

[黃土不露天]

a slogan used in reference to a project to improve greenery in some parts of Northern China

Guótǔ Anquánbù

国土安全部

[國土安全部]

(US) Department of Homeland Security

Guótǔ Zīyuánbù

国土资源部

[國土資源部]

Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR), formed in 1998

gāngjīnhùnníngtǔ

钢筋混凝土

[鋼筋混凝土]

reinforced concrete

Línhǎi Shuǐtǔzhì

临海水土志

[臨海水土誌]

Seaboard Geographic Gazetteer (c. 275) by Shen Ying 沈瑩／沈莹

tǔdìlìyòngguīhuà

土地利用规划

[土地利用規劃]

land use plan (official P.R.C. government term)

Hùzhù Tǔzú Zìzhìxiàn

互助土族自治县

[互助土族自治縣]

Huzhu Tuzu Autonomous County in Haidong prefecture 海東地區／海东地区 ( Hǎidōngdìqū), Qinghai

Tǔ'ěrqíxuánzhuǎnkǎoròu

土耳其旋转烤肉

[土耳其旋轉烤肉]

Turkish döner kebab

miàncháohuángtǔbèicháotiān

面朝黄土背朝天

[面朝黃土背朝天]

face to the ground, back to the sky

Yánhé Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn

沿河土家族自治县

[沿河土家族自治縣]

Yanhe Tujia Autonomous County in Tongren 銅仁市／铜仁市 ( Tongrén Shì), Guizhou

Chángyáng Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn

长阳土家族自治县

[長陽土家族自治縣]

Changyang Tujia Autonomous County in Hubei

Wǔfēng Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn

五峰土家族自治县

[五峰土家族自治縣]

Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County in Hubei

Shízhù Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn

石柱土家族自治县

[石柱土家族自治縣]

Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County in Chongqing 重慶／重庆 ( Chongqíng)

bīngláijiàngdí,shuǐláitǔyàn

兵来将敌，水来土堰

[兵來將敵，水來土堰]

counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action
to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation

Dàtōng Huízú Tǔzú Zìzhìxiàn

大通回族土族自治县

[大通回族土族自治縣]

Datong Hui and Tu autonomous county in Xining 西寧／西宁 ( Xīníng), Qinghai

Mínhé Huízú Tǔzú Zìzhìxiàn

民和回族土族自治县

[民和回族土族自治縣]

Minhe Hui and Tu autonomous county in Haidong prefecture 海東地區／海东地区 ( Hǎidōngdìqū), Qinghai

bīngláijiàngdǎng,shuǐláitǔyǎn

兵来将挡，水来土掩

[兵來將擋，水來土掩]

counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action
to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation

Xiāngxī Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu

湘西土家族苗族自治州

[湘西土家族苗族自治州]

Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in northwest Hunan, capital Jishou 吉首 ( Jíshǒu)

Enshī Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu

恩施土家族苗族自治州

[恩施土家族苗族自治州]

Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hubei

Yìnjiāng Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìxiàn

印江土家族苗族自治县

[印江土家族苗族自治縣]

Yinjiang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County in Tongren 銅仁市／铜仁市 ( Tongrén Shì), Guizhou

Péngshuǐ Miáozú Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn

彭水苗族土家族自治县

[彭水苗族土家族自治縣]

Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County in southeastern Chongqing 重慶／重庆 ( Chongqíng)

Xiùshān Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìxiàn

秀山土家族苗族自治县

[秀山土家族苗族自治縣]

Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County in Chongqing 重慶／重庆 ( Chongqíng)

Yǒuyáng Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìxiàn

酉阳土家族苗族自治县

[酉陽土家族苗族自治縣]

Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County in Chongqing 重慶／重庆 ( Chongqíng)