Common Meanings
1
tǔ土
soil; earth; dirt; loess
植物需要土壤才能生长。
Plants need soil to grow.
Land; territory; native land.
一方水土养育一方人。
The unique land and climate of a place nurture its people, shaping their characteristics.
Referring to something local or native; indigenous.
他最喜欢家乡的土菜。
He likes his hometown's local dishes the most.
Locally produced; traditional or folk (often contrasting with foreign or modern, e.g., folk remedy).
奶奶说这个土方对治疗咳嗽很有效。
Grandma said this folk remedy is very effective for treating coughs.
Unfashionable; rustic; unsophisticated; out of date.
别穿得那么土，跟不上潮流了
Don't dress so unfashionably; you can't keep up with the trends.
Unprocessed or raw opium.
过去，有些地方曾有贩卖烟土的活动
In the past, some places were involved in the trade of raw opium.
One of the eight traditional categories of ancient Chinese musical instruments (bayin), referring to instruments made of baked clay or earth, such as the xun (ocarina).
古人将乐器按材料分为八音，其中以陶土制成的乐器归为‘土’类。
The ancients categorized musical instruments into eight sounds (materials), with those made from clay belonging to the 'earth' (tǔ) category.
Referring to the Tu ethnic group, a minority group in China.
他学会了一些简单的土语，可以和当地人交流。
He learned some simple Tu language and can communicate with the locals.