<p>土 has serveral meanings, one of which is 不合潮流 (out of the swim, out of fashion, out of step, old-fashioned, etc.). </p>

<p>So in your example, 土 means old-fashioned.</p>

<p>I guess it is because the core meaning of 土 is earth or dirt, which we can't say is fancy.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T00:52:06.337Z
People often refer to country-ass hicks as being very "土"
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T04:56:28.320Z
@CongXu I'd like to point out that opposition is not always 土 (indigenous) vs 洋 (foreign). Often it's 土 (local) vs 标准 (standard), as is the case when people talk about accents.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T05:03:24.993Z
@StumpyJoePete of course, depending on the exact definition there can be more than one opposite.
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-04T07:20:18.770Z
+1 for "out of fashion", i'm a 土人
LiuYan 刘研
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T00:15:28.410Z
2013-06-27T00:15:28.410Z
孤影萍踪
<p>土 has the meaning of "indigenous", as in phrases such as 土生土长, <a href="http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/sinograms.html?q=%E5%9C%9F">as opposed to 洋</a>. There should be plenty of evidence for this definition; nowadays this definition is usually seen in phrases, such as 土货.</p>

<p>My impression is that the "unrefined" meaning may have appeared in more recent decades, as indigenous culture seemed unsophisticated compared to imported culture. However this is all speculation; I can't find an authoritative etymological source.</p>

<p>You can find much more info on <a href="http://xh.5156edu.com/html3/9417.html">Xinhua Dictionary</a>. It has some interesting translations for 土 in the "unrefined" sense, under the colloquial phrase 土包子: clodhopper;bumpkin;barkwoodsman;boor;dott;yokel.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T06:19:38.267Z
(continued from below) @CongXu I brought it up because if you're calling someone unrefined, it's probably because you think they're some yokel local country bumpkin, not because you think that foreign things are better than indigenous ones.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T10:39:53.783Z
@StumpyJoePete of course; living languages evolve and that is especially so for terms relating to fashion or trends. For example [square](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_(slang)) isn't nowadays used to describe someone who doesn't like jazz.
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T05:02:32.580Z
2013-06-27T05:02:32.580Z
congusbongus
<p>In the sentence "这个名字有点土!" , the "土" mean antiquated, no trend, ancient, not fashion. This sentence can also be said "这个名字有点老土!", which is more formal, but also easier to understand.The word "土" 's mean here is not the same with "土包子","土货". In the words "土包子" , the "土" mean someone who have not seen the big world, more formal argument is "乡巴佬". In the words "土货", the "土" mean local product, native produce, more formal argument is "土特产".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-28T02:12:28.483Z
Yes, 土 here refers to 老土, which means old fashion. This is correct.
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-28T01:15:43.993Z
2013-06-28T01:15:43.993Z
jie
<p>If people say 土, they are saying that it is like things farmer use or do.
In China, farmer is a class, people may regard lower than other classes, although it is not true. They tent to think things from other countries are better and updated/new.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-21T09:29:46.503Z
2013-07-21T09:29:46.503Z
eccstartup
<p>There is a grade in ancient China, 帝王、圣贤、隐士、童仙、文人、武士、<em>农</em>、工、商. You see, <em>农</em>(farmer) is a lower grade. And '土' is here and there in the country but not in the city, and only farmer relies on '土'（田地） for his living. Thus, 土=农民 who always in bad image and looked down on by others.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-12T14:50:34.023Z
Then one may argue, why "商" hadn't become a derogatory word?
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-12T15:03:31.557Z
In ancient China, they think 商 values benefits rather than the morality. Since the government govern its people by morality as it advocate, so  商 is derogatory in ancient China. But today, 商 is a high grade in China while 农 becomes the lowest grade.
Eden Harder
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-12T14:29:06.280Z
2013-08-12T14:29:06.280Z
Eden Harder
<ul>
<li>这个名字有点土（zhè gè míng zì yǒu diǎn tǔ ）</li>
<li>土（tǔ）has a lot of meanings, so,这个名字有点土 is 不合潮流 unfashionable, out of the swim, unenlightened, etc.</li>
<li>dress like a country bumpkin; countrified dress 打扮得真土</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-28T00:57:13.720Z
2017-09-28T00:57:13.720Z
Julia Collier
<p>In you sentence, 土 means old-fashioned.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-27T23:06:48.477Z
2017-09-27T23:06:48.477Z
Roy Yin
<p>土 is the soil where plants grow. Therefore 土 is used to describe countryside concepts. </p>

<p>土 also means dust, kind of dull.</p>

<p>However, 土 is a neutral word. It can be used as a positive adjective. It's actual meaning depends on the context and speaker's understanding of the word. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-04T00:54:26.737Z
2013-07-06T02:01:25.953Z
2013-07-06T02:01:25.953Z
Cheng
<p>In this sentence, the 土（tu） is like mundane, and it is a derogatory term/</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-23T23:33:31.890Z
Just a side note. Mandarin pinyin has tones. If you are unable to type accented characters, then using numbers (tu3) is also an acceptable method.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-04T12:41:44.490Z
2013-07-04T12:41:44.490Z
user3002
<p>I heard this mentioned about someones name recently. Can someone explain the meaning and any connotations of "土" in the sentence:</p>

<p>这个名字有点土</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T00:13:24.090Z
土 means "local, colloquial, or unrefined" in this context.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-27T03:21:03.293Z
Reminds me of the English idiom "stick-in-the-mud".
杨以轩
<usage><meaning-in-context>
What does 土 mean in this sentence 这个名字有点土?
# What does 土 mean in this sentence 这个名字有点土?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-06-26)

I heard this mentioned about someones name recently. Can someone explain the meaning and any connotations of "土" in the sentence:

这个名字有点土

**Tags:** usage, meaning-in-context
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 土 means "local, colloquial, or unrefined" in this context.  
> **username_2**: Reminds me of the English idiom "stick-in-the-mud".  

---

## 9 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-06-27. Score: 8

土 has serveral meanings, one of which is 不合潮流 (out of the swim, out of fashion, out of step, old-fashioned, etc.).

So in your example, 土 means old-fashioned.

I guess it is because the core meaning of 土 is earth or dirt, which we can't say is fancy.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: People often refer to country-ass hicks as being very "土"  
> **username_1**: @CongXu I'd like to point out that opposition is not always 土 (indigenous) vs 洋 (foreign). Often it's 土 (local) vs 标准 (standard), as is the case when people talk about accents.  
> **username_4**: @StumpyJoePete of course, depending on the exact definition there can be more than one opposite.  
> **username_5**: +1 for "out of fashion", i'm a 土人  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-06-27. Score: 6

土 has the meaning of "indigenous", as in phrases such as 土生土长, [as opposed to 洋](http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/sinograms.html?q=%E5%9C%9F). There should be plenty of evidence for this definition; nowadays this definition is usually seen in phrases, such as 土货.

My impression is that the "unrefined" meaning may have appeared in more recent decades, as indigenous culture seemed unsophisticated compared to imported culture. However this is all speculation; I can't find an authoritative etymological source.

You can find much more info on [Xinhua Dictionary](http://xh.5156edu.com/html3/9417.html). It has some interesting translations for 土 in the "unrefined" sense, under the colloquial phrase 土包子: clodhopper;bumpkin;barkwoodsman;boor;dott;yokel.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: (continued from below) @CongXu I brought it up because if you're calling someone unrefined, it's probably because you think they're some yokel local country bumpkin, not because you think that foreign things are better than indigenous ones.  
> **username_4**: @StumpyJoePete of course; living languages evolve and that is especially so for terms relating to fashion or trends. For example [square](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_(slang)) isn't nowadays used to describe someone who doesn't like jazz.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2013-06-28. Score: 2

In the sentence "这个名字有点土!" , the "土" mean antiquated, no trend, ancient, not fashion. This sentence can also be said "这个名字有点老土!", which is more formal, but also easier to understand.The word "土" 's mean here is not the same with "土包子","土货". In the words "土包子" , the "土" mean someone who have not seen the big world, more formal argument is "乡巴佬". In the words "土货", the "土" mean local product, native produce, more formal argument is "土特产".

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Yes, 土 here refers to 老土, which means old fashion. This is correct.  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2013-07-21. Score: 1

If people say 土, they are saying that it is like things farmer use or do.
In China, farmer is a class, people may regard lower than other classes, although it is not true. They tent to think things from other countries are better and updated/new.


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2013-08-12. Score: 1

There is a grade in ancient China, 帝王、圣贤、隐士、童仙、文人、武士、*农*、工、商. You see, *农*(farmer) is a lower grade. And '土' is here and there in the country but not in the city, and only farmer relies on '土'（田地） for his living. Thus, 土=农民 who always in bad image and looked down on by others.

> **Comments:**
> **username_9**: Then one may argue, why "商" hadn't become a derogatory word?  
> **username_8**: In ancient China, they think 商 values benefits rather than the morality. Since the government govern its people by morality as it advocate, so  商 is derogatory in ancient China. But today, 商 is a high grade in China while 农 becomes the lowest grade.  

---

### Answer by username_10 on 2017-09-28. Score: 0

* 这个名字有点土（zhè gè míng zì yǒu diǎn tǔ ）
* 土（tǔ）has a lot of meanings, so,这个名字有点土 is 不合潮流 unfashionable, out of the swim, unenlightened, etc.
* dress like a country bumpkin; countrified dress 打扮得真土


---

### Answer by username_11 on 2017-09-27. Score: 0

In you sentence, 土 means old-fashioned.


---

### Answer by username_12 on 2013-07-04. Score: 0

土 is the soil where plants grow. Therefore 土 is used to describe countryside concepts.

土 also means dust, kind of dull.

However, 土 is a neutral word. It can be used as a positive adjective. It's actual meaning depends on the context and speaker's understanding of the word.


---

### Answer by username_13 on 2013-07-04. Score: -2

In this sentence, the 土（tu） is like mundane, and it is a derogatory term/

> **Comments:**
> **username_14**: Just a side note. Mandarin pinyin has tones. If you are unable to type accented characters, then using numbers (tu3) is also an acceptable method.  

---

