How to say "dusty" in Japanese

• 埃っぽいほこりっぽい
  i-adjectiveCovers 'dusty' in the physical sense: dust-covered or full of dust. Describes surfaces, rooms, or clothes that have gathered dust; a less common way to say plain 'dusty'.
  道路どうろがほこりっぽい。昨日きのう雨あめが降ふったはずがない。↗

  The road is dusty. It cannot have rained yesterday.
• 埃臭いほこりくさい
  i-adjectiveMeans 'smelling of dust; dusty-smelling'; it renders 'dusty' only through the sense of smell. Use for rooms, air, or objects that smell of dust rather than look dusty; a less common choice.

For 'dusty' meaning covered with dust use 「埃っぽい」; 「埃臭い」 means smelling of dust, so reserve it for the dusty smell; both are less common ways to translate 'dusty'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 埃っぽいほこりっぽいdusty
• 埃臭いほこりくさいsmelling of dust