çürünen

Çürünen is a Turkish adjective formed from the verb çürümek, meaning to rot or decay. It describes something that is in the process of decay or has already begun to decay. The form arises with the suffix -en, creating a participial adjective that can modify a noun, for example çürünen meyve, “rotting fruit.”

In use, çürünen typically refers to organic matter or materials susceptible to decomposition, such as food, plant material, or wood. It is employed in everyday language as well as in descriptive writing, journalism, and scientific contexts to indicate a state of ongoing decay. The term is related to concepts such as çürüme (decay, decomposition) and bozulma (deterioration).

Çürünen emphasizes the ongoing nature of decay rather than a finished state. Decay is commonly caused by factors like moisture, temperature, oxygen, and microbial activity. In food safety and storage discussions, phrases like çürünen ürün can denote spoilage; in ecological or biological contexts, it can describe decomposition processes within ecosystems.

The word is understood across Turkish registers, though more formal discussions might prefer terms such as çürüme or bozulmuş to describe decay in general. Antonyms include taze (fresh), sağlam (intact), and diri (alive).