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濯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zhàoto cleanse, to rinse, to wash outvg, 17 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
zhàoto washunknown, 17 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
zhàoto cleanse of evilunknown, 17 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
zhuóto cleanse, to rinse, to wash outvg, 17 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
zhuóto washunknown, 17 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
zhuóto cleanse of evilunknown, 17 strokes, radical 氵, Very Hard
zhào(zhao4)
primary
T4
  1. 1to cleanse, to rinse, to wash out
  2. 2to wash
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
zhào(zhao4)

The character 濯 (zhào) means 'to cleanse' or 'to wash out', often used in contexts involving water, such as rinsing clothes or purifying something. It can also imply cleansing from impurities or evils, making it a more metaphorical term in certain contexts. This character is commonly associated with cleanliness and purity.

Strokes17RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, cleansing rituals, especially during festivals like Qingming, symbolize the removal of bad luck and the welcoming of good fortune. The act of washing is often viewed as a spiritual cleansing.

Memory Tip

Imagine a river (the water radical 水) flowing over a stone (the character's structure) and washing away dirt. Picture the river 'zhào' (sounds like 'chow', as in 'chow down' on clean food) making everything fresh and pure again.

Meanings of 濯

zhào(zhao4)
primary
1to cleanse, to rinse, to wash out
2to wash
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 濯

Simplified
17Strokes
Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 濯

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 濯

Quick Contrast

洗 (xǐ, to wash) — use 濯 when referring to a more metaphorical or purifying cleansing, while 洗 is more general for washing.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a river (the water radical 水) flowing over a stone (the character's structure) and washing away dirt. Picture the river 'zhào' (sounds like 'chow', as in 'chow down' on clean food) making everything fresh and pure again.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 濯 with similar-sounding characters like 着 (zhuó), which means 'to wear' or 'to arrive'. It is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, often found in literary or poetic language. Be careful with the tone; it's pronounced zhào, not zhāo.

HSK Study Tips

While 濯 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 5 words related to water and cleansing, such as 洗 (xǐ, to wash) and 清 (qīng, clean). Focus on understanding its usage in more complex phrases involving purification.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, cleansing rituals, especially during festivals like Qingming, symbolize the removal of bad luck and the welcoming of good fortune. The act of washing is often viewed as a spiritual cleansing.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 濯 with 洗 (xǐ), mistakenly using it in contexts where only 'to wash' applies. For example, saying 我需要濯手 (wǒ xūyào zhào shǒu) instead of 我需要洗手 (wǒ xūyào xǐ shǒu) for 'I need to wash my hands' is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 濯

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Etymology of 濯

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 濯?

Decomposition of 濯

IDS Structure⿰氵翟
Full Character
=
shui3
left
Di2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 濯?

Write 濯

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 濯

濯 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

塔又用水洗____,以除去存留的残酸.

The column is rinsed again with water to remove the acid.

Example Sentences for 濯 (1)

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1
塔又用水洗濯,以除去存留的残酸.

tǎ yòu yòng shuǐ xǐ zhuó, , yǐ chú qù cún liú de cán.

The column is rinsed again with water to remove the acid.

Cultural Notes for 濯

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, cleansing rituals, especially during festivals like Qingming, symbolize the removal of bad luck and the welcoming of good fortune. The act of washing is often viewed as a spiritual cleansing.

Word Family of 濯

Words Containing This Character3
zhàoto wash
洗濯to wash
童山濯濯treeless hill
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 濯 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 濯

Phrases like 濯衣 (zhào yī, to wash clothes) and 濯清涟 (zhào qīng lián, to wash with clear water) illustrate its usage.