Word: 土 (tǔ)

一颗明珠土里埋，早晚会发光

yì kē míngzhū tǔ li mái, zǎowǎn huì fāguāng

a bright pearl buried in the earth: sooner or later it will shine

人不亲土亲，河不亲水亲

rén bù qīn tǔ qīn, hé bù qīn shuǐ qīn

people may not be close, but the soil is close; rivers may not be close, but the water is close

人亲不如土亲

rén qīn bùrú tǔ qīn

relatives are not as close as one's native soil

今天下这么大的雨，土松着呢。

Jīntiān xià zhème dà de yǔ, tǔ sōngzhe ne.

It is still raining a lot today, and the soil is being broken up.

你可以在地上挖土。

Nǐ kěyǐ zài dìshang wā tǔ.

You can dig dirt from the ground.

勤俭好似针挑土,浪费犹如浪淘沙

qínjiǎn hǎosì zhēn tiāo tǔ,làngfèi yóurú làngtáoshā

thrift is like lifting soil with a needle; waste is like waves washing away sand

协力山成玉，同心土变金

xiélì shān chéng yù, tóngxīn tǔ biàn jīn

with united strength a mountain becomes jade; with one heart, earth turns to gold

土里钻出了一颗绿色的芽。

Tǔ lǐ zuān chūle yì kē lǜsè de yá.

A green sprout has poked up out of the soil.

塑料很难在土里分解。

Sùliào hěn nán zài tǔ lǐ fēnjiě.

Plastic is very hard to decompose in the soil.

大雨侵蚀了山坡上的土。

Dàyǔ qīnshíle shānpō shàng de tǔ.

The heavy rain eroded the soil on the hillside.

太岁头上的土，没人敢动

tàisuì tóushàng de tǔ, méi rén gǎn dòng

the soil on the Grand Year god's head: no one dares touch it

小狗正在院子里扒土。

Xiǎogǒu zhèngzài yuànzi lǐ bā tǔ.

The puppy is digging in the dirt in the yard.

属犁铧的，老往一面翻土

shǔ líhuá de, lǎo wǎng yímiàn fān tǔ

born a ploughshare: always turns the soil to one side

成家犹如针挑土，败家好似水推沙

chéngjiā yóurú zhēn tiāo tǔ, bàijiā hǎosì shuǐ tuī Shā

Building a family fortune is like lifting soil with a needle; ruining it is like water washing away sand

把种子放进土里，再浇点水。

Bǎ zhǒngzi fàngjìn tǔ lǐ, zài jiāo diǎn shuǐ.

Put the seeds in the soil, then water them a little.

把籽撒在土里，再浇点水。

Bǎ zǐ sǎ zài tǔ lǐ, zài jiāo diǎn shuǐ.

Scatter the seeds in the soil, then add a little water.

是灰比土热，是盐比酱咸

shì huī bǐ tǔ rè, shì yán bǐ jiàng Xián

if it's ash it's warmer than earth; if it's salt it's saltier than soy sauce

植物的根从土里吸取水分。

Zhíwù de gēn cóng tǔ lǐ xīqǔ shuǐfèn.

Plant roots absorb water from the soil.

江海不拒细流，泰山不拒土石

Jiānghǎi bú jù xìliú, Tài Shān bú jù tǔ shí

rivers and seas don't refuse small streams, Mount Tai doesn't refuse earth and stone

没土打不成墙，没苗打不下粮

méi tǔ dǎ bùchéng qiáng, méi miáo dǎ búxià liáng

without earth you can't build a rammed wall, without seedlings you can't harvest grain

泥人还有个土性子

nírén háiyǒu ge tǔ xìngzi

even a clay figure has an earthy temper

物有物性,土有土性

wù yǒu wùxìng,tǔ yǒu tǔxìng

every thing has its nature, every soil has its nature

用机器把堤坝的土夯实。

Yòng jīqì bǎ dībà de tǔ hāngshí.

Use a machine to ram the earth of the dam firm.

田鼠走亲戚，土里来土里去

tiánshǔ zǒuqīnqi, tǔ li lái tǔ li qù

A field mouse visiting relatives: comes out of the soil and goes back into the soil

种子在土里慢慢扎根。

Zhǒngzi zài tǔ lǐ mànmàn zhāgēn.

The seeds slowly take root in the soil.

种子在土里萌芽了。

Zhǒngzi zài tǔ lǐ méngyále.

The seeds have germinated in the soil.

蛤蟆、蟋蟀，都是一锹土上人

háma, xīshuài, dōu shì yì qiāo tǔ shang rén

toad and cricket: both come from the same spade of earth

这种土可以用来做杯子。

Zhèzhǒng tǔ kěyǐ yònglái zuò bēizi.

This kind of clay can be used to make cups.

鞋里的土，没用处

xiélǐ de tǔ, méiyòng chu

dirt in a shoe: no use

风一吹，路上全是土。

Fēng yì chuī, lùshang quán shì tǔ.

When the wind blows, the road is covered in dust.

黄金被土埋,不失其光辉

huángjīn bèi tǔ mái,bùshī qí guānghuī

Gold buried in earth does not lose its luster