to clean, to sweep, to wipe away; to weed out; to wipe out
x, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #45249, Very Hard
sǎo(sao3) T3
1to clean, to sweep, to wipe away; to weed out; to wipe out
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March 24, 2026
掃sǎo(sao3)
The character 掃 (sǎo) primarily means 'to sweep' or 'to clean' and is commonly used in contexts involving cleaning spaces or removing dirt. It can also imply 'to wipe away' or 'to weed out' in a broader sense, such as eliminating unwanted elements or ideas.
Strokes11Radical扌Frequency#45249DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
Cleaning, especially sweeping, has a cultural significance in Chinese traditions, often associated with the idea of sweeping away bad luck and making room for good fortune, especially during the Lunar New Year.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person sweeping away dirt with a broom. The character 掃 has a hand (扌) on the left, representing the action of using your hand to sweep, and the right side (巳) can be visualized as the dirt being removed from a space, emphasizing the act of cleaning.
Meanings of 掃
sǎo(sao3)
1to clean, to sweep, to wipe away; to weed out; to wipe out
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 掃
掃Simplified
11Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 掃
Podcast: 掃
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AI Study Notes for 掃
Quick Contrast
清 (qīng) - use 掃 (sǎo) for physical cleaning actions, while 清 (qīng) is more about clarity or purity.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person sweeping away dirt with a broom. The character 掃 has a hand (扌) on the left, representing the action of using your hand to sweep, and the right side (巳) can be visualized as the dirt being removed from a space, emphasizing the act of cleaning.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 掃 with 清理 (qīnglǐ), which means to tidy up or organize, rather than just sweeping. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, so pay attention to collocations like 掃地 (sǎo dì - sweep the floor) and 掃除 (sǎochú - to clean up).
HSK Study Tips
Although 掃 is not explicitly listed in the HSK levels, it relates to HSK 2 vocabulary about daily activities, such as cleaning. Students should focus on practicing its use in sentences related to household chores.
Cultural Note
Cleaning, especially sweeping, has a cultural significance in Chinese traditions, often associated with the idea of sweeping away bad luck and making room for good fortune, especially during the Lunar New Year.
Common Mistakes
Learners often forget to use the correct measure word when talking about the objects being cleaned. For example, saying '我掃一個地' (Wǒ sǎo yī gè dì) is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我掃地' (Wǒ sǎo dì) without the measure word.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 掃
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Cultural Notes for 掃
🏮Cultural insight
Cleaning, especially sweeping, has a cultural significance in Chinese traditions, often associated with the idea of sweeping away bad luck and making room for good fortune, especially during the Lunar New Year.
Word Family of 掃
Words Containing This Character20
扫sǎoto sweep掃
扫描sǎomiáoto scan掃描
打扫dǎsǎoto clean打掃
扫地to sweep the floor掃地
清扫to tidy up清掃
扫兴sǎoxìngto feel disappointed掃興
横扫to sweep away橫掃
扫荡to root out掃蕩
扫帚broom掃帚
扫除sǎochúto sweep掃除
扫射to strafe掃射
扫描仪scanner (device)掃描儀
扫墓sǎomùthe Qingming festival掃墓
扫把broom掃把
扫盲to wipe out illiteracy掃盲
扫视to run one's eyes over掃視
扫黄campaign against pornography掃黃
扫描器scanner掃描器
一扫而光to clear off一掃而光
扫雷minesweeper (computer game)掃雷
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 扫 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 掃
掃 specifically refers to the action of sweeping or cleaning, while 清理 means to tidy up or organize.
You can use it in sentences like '我每天掃地' (Wǒ měitiān sǎo dì - I sweep the floor every day).
Yes, 掃 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it’s more common in everyday conversations.
