玷污

diànwū

verb #8,735

Meanings

1 to stain; to sully; to tarnish
2 to bring disgrace upon; to defile

Characters

flaw in a gem; to blemish

dirty; to contaminate

Blemish + dirty — to leave a stain on something pure, especially in a moral sense.

Examples

他的行为玷污了学校的名誉。

Tā de xíngwéi diànwū le xuéxiào de míngyù.

His behavior tarnished the school's reputation.

不要玷污这份神圣的职业。

Bùyào diànwū zhè fèn shénshèng de zhíyè.

Don't sully this sacred profession.

这件丑闻玷污了他一辈子的清白。

Zhè jiàn chǒuwén diànwū le tā yībèizi de qīngbái.

This scandal tarnished his lifelong innocence.

Tips

register

玷污 is formal/literary and carries strong moral weight. It is used for abstract things like reputation, honor, and purity. For physical staining, use 弄脏 (nòngzāng) or 污染 (wūrǎn) instead.

Stroke Order

玷 diàn

污 wū