How to say "stain" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 汚れよごれnounThe general noun for dirt and grime; choose it when 'stain' simply means soiling on a surface or garment, not one distinct mark left by a specific spill.
- nounThe word for a stain proper: a spot left when a liquid such as coffee or ink soaks into fabric or paper; also a smudge or blot. Usually written in kana alone.
- 汚点おてんnounA stain or blot; it also means a flaw or disgrace, so it covers both a mark on a surface and a figurative stain on one's record or reputation.
- 汚すよごすgodan verb, transitive verbA transitive verb meaning to pollute, contaminate or soil — to make something dirty; take 'to stain' here as dirtying something, not as leaving one distinct mark.
- 付くつくgodan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: use it for the stain itself remaining — a mark that has taken and stays imprinted, as with dye or a scar, rather than for the act of soiling something.
Use 「しみ」 for a spot left by a spill, 「汚れ」 for dirt or soiling generally, 汚点 for a stain or blot, also a flaw or disgrace, 「汚す」 for dirtying something, and 「付く」 for a stain that has set.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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