脏活

髒活

zānghuó

noun #37,590

Measure Word

一件脏活 jiàn

Meanings

1 dirty work
2 menial or grimy job
3 (figurative) unsavory task

Characters

Examples

这种脏活总是落到他头上。

Zhè zhǒng zānghuó zǒngshì luò dào tā tóu shàng.

This kind of dirty work always falls to him.

他不怕脏活累活。

Tā bú pà zānghuó lèihuó.

He's not afraid of dirty or grueling work.

Tips

usage

Often paired with 累活 (lèihuó, 'tiring work') in the set phrase 脏活累活 to mean 'all the tough, thankless work.' Figuratively can also mean morally unsavory tasks done on someone else's behalf — equivalent to 'do the dirty work' in English.

Stroke Order

脏 zāng

活 huó