臭
chòu
The English word "smelly" is translated into Chinese as 臭 (chòu).
臭 is an adjective used to describe something that has a bad smell. It is the direct antonym of 香, which means fragrant or good smelling. To describe something that is actively emanating a strong odor, often in a humorous way, you can use the informal expression 臭烘烘的.
Meaning: having a bad smell (adj)
Which one should you use?
While 臭 is the standard term, you may encounter 恶臭 in formal settings to refer specifically to a strong, offensive smell. In Cantonese, spoken in Southern China, the term 難聞 is used instead to describe something with a bad smell.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese-speaking regions of Southern China, the term 難聞 is used to mean something has a bad smell.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 臭 in a simple descriptive sentence, it is common to place the adverb 很 before it (e.g., 很臭), even if you do not intend to emphasize the word "very". To express that something is extremely or unbearably smelly, you can use the construction 臭死了, where 死了 is added after the adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
chòu
Did you know?
- While 臭 usually means smelly, it can be used as a term of endearment in specific phrases to describe a 'naughty' or 'cheeky' child.
- In Chinese culture, certain 'smelly' foods like stinky tofu are praised for their 臭 aroma, creating a culinary category where a bad smell is a sign of quality.
- The character 臭 is an ideogram formed by combining the components for 'dog' and 'nose'.
Examples in context
- 垃圾桶里的东西很 臭 。(Lājītǒng lǐ de dōngxi hěn chòu .)The stuff in the trash can is very smelly.
- 鞋子里传来了一阵 恶臭 。(Xiézi lǐ chuán lái le yī zhèn èchòu .)A wave of foul smell came from the shoes.
- 这鱼 臭烘烘的 ，差点受不了！(Zhè yú chòuhōnghōng de, chàdiǎn shòu bùliǎo!)This fish is really stinky, it's almost unbearable!
- 呢個水果好 難聞 。(Ni1 go3 seoi2 gwo2 hou2 naan4 man1 .)This fruit smells really bad.
- 这只袜子很臭。This sock is very smelly.
- 这个垃圾很臭。Zhège lājī hěn chòu.This trash is very smelly.
Example conversation
Rain clouds are gathering, and Junjie is holding a bag of trash.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，那个垃圾袋很臭。Jùnjié, nàge lājìdài hěn chòu.Junjie, that trash bag is very smelly.
- 俊杰 Junjie对不起，我这就把它拿出去。Duìbùqǐ, wǒ zhè jiù bǎ tā ná chūqù.Sorry, I will take it out right now.
- 雨婷 Yuting快点，别让屋子里太臭了。Kuài diǎn, bié ràng wūzi lǐ tài chòu le.Hurry, don't let the room get too smelly.
- 俊杰 Junjie好的，雨婷，马上就好。Hǎo de, Yǔtíng, mǎshàng jiù hǎo.Okay, Yuting, I'll do it immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smelly” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 臭, CC BY-SA 4.0.
