also: おあい · あえ · わえ · おかい
noun
night soil; human waste used as fertilizer
Historical term for human excrement collected for agricultural use. Now largely obsolete in everyday language, but may appear in historical or literary contexts.
江戸時代には、汚穢を肥料として使っていた。
In the Edo period, night soil was used as fertilizer.
noun
General term for foul dirt or filth; literary and old-fashioned. In modern Japanese, 汚れ or 不潔 is more common.
その路地は汚穢にまみれていた。
The alley was covered in filth.
Kana spelling for the common reading; practical for learners.
Alternate reading; less common than おわい.
Obsolete kana usage; included for historical reference.
Obsolete kana usage; included for historical reference.
Obsolete kana usage; included for historical reference.
Compound of 汚 (dirty) and 穢 (filth), both kanji with similar meanings. The word is of Chinese origin (Sino-Japanese) and has been used historically in formal or literary contexts.