clay
Derived from Old English 'claeg', related to similar terms in other Germanic languages.
NOUN
(1)
[/kleɪ/en-US]
earth
general
/
soil
general
/
mud
informal
/
ceramic material
specific
/
pottery clay
specificartistic
A natural, earthy material that is malleable when wet and hardens when dried or fired, often used in pottery and ceramics. It can also refer to the specific types of clay used for artistic and functional objects.
| plural |
|---|
| clays |
- The artist used clay to create a beautiful sculpture. — その芸術家は粘土を使って美しい彫刻を作りました。
- The children played with mud in the backyard, which is a mix of water and clay. — 子供たちは裏庭で泥で遊んでいて、それは水と粘土の混合物です。
register: neutral
VERB
(1)
[/kleɪ/en-US]
mold
general
/
shape
general
/
form
general
/
sculpt
artistic
/
untranslatable
untranslatable
(There is no direct equivalent for 'to clay' as a verb in English beyond the specific uses.)
To shape or mold a substance, typically clay, into a specific form. The verb 'to clay' does not have a direct equivalent in English beyond its specific use in pottery and crafts, where it describes the act of working with clay to create forms or objects.
| past | present_participle |
|---|---|
| clayed | claying |
- She loves to mold figures from clay during her art class. — 彼女は美術の授業で粘土から形を作るのが大好きです。
- He decided to shape a large bowl out of clay for the community event. — 彼は地域のイベントのために大きな器を粘土で作ることに決めました。
register: formal