dilute, light, pale

About this kanji

The kanji 「淡」 primarily means "dilute," "light," or "pale." It is often used both as a noun and an adjective. For example, the word 淡水 (たんすい) refers to "fresh water," indicating water that is not salty. The adjective 淡い (あわい) describes something that is "light" in color, like a pale blue. You'll also find 淡味 (たんみ), which means "mild taste," often used to describe flavors that are not too strong. In addition, 淡々 (たんたん) means "calm" or "unruffled." One thing to note is that while this kanji can describe lightness or calmness, it can sometimes also imply a sense of softness or gentleness.

Built from

Example sentences

• 淡い色のシャツを着ています。

  I am wearing a light-colored shirt.

Meanings across languages

English

dilute, light, pale

Tiếng Việt

nhạt, thưa, nhẹ

日本語

淡い, 薄い

한국어

희석하다, 연한, 옅은

中文

稀释, 浅色, 微弱

id

encer, ringan, pucat

th

เจือจาง, เบา, จาง

es

diluir, ligero, pálido

fr

diluer, léger, pâle

de

verdünnen, hell, blass

pt

diluir, claro, pálido

Common compounds

• 淡水たんすいfresh water
• 淡いあわいlight, pale, dim
• 淡味たんみmild taste
• 淡々たんたんcalm, neutral