浮土 (fútǔ): topsoil

Meanings

1 topsoil
2 loose surface soil
3 surface dust

Characters

浮

fú

float, on the surface

土

tǔ

earth, soil

Examples

他掸掉鞋上的浮土，走进了客厅。

Tā dǎndiào xié shàng de fútǔ, zǒujìnle kètīng.

He brushed the dust off his shoes and walked into the living room.

雨水把田里的浮土都冲走了。

Yǔshuǐ bǎ tián li de fútǔ dōu chōngzǒu le.

The rain washed away all the topsoil from the field.

Tips

usage

Two senses: (1) the loose top layer of earth on a field, and (2) a thin layer of dust on objects. The colloquial diminutive 浮土儿 (futur) is used in northern speech, especially Beijing.

Stroke Order

浮 fú

土 tǔ

Related Words

浮 fú HSK 6 #5,642

to float; to drift on the surface / superficial; on the surface / excessive; inflated

培土 péitǔ

potting soil / garden soil (for cultivation) / to hill up soil (around plants)

浮出水面 fúchūshuǐmiàn

to float to the surface / (figurative) to come to light / become evident / to surface (of an issue)

土壤污染 tǔrǎngwūrǎn

soil pollution / soil contamination

花土 huātǔ

potting soil / potting mix / garden soil for flowers

土 tǔ HSK 6 #2,924

earth; soil / local; native / unsophisticated; rustic

土地 tǔdì HSK 4 #2,210

land; soil; territory / farmland; ground

红土 hóngtǔ #37,381

red soil / laterite / red clay (court surface)

泥土 nítǔ HSK 7 #8,200

earth; soil; dirt / clay; mud

灰头土脸 huītóutǔliǎn

head and face covered in dust and grime / (figuratively) dejected; dispirited; humiliated