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March 24, 2026
洗xǐ(xi3)
The character 洗 (xǐ) means 'to wash' or 'to bathe.' It is commonly used in everyday contexts, such as washing hands, clothes, or oneself. Additionally, it can refer to developing photographs, emphasizing the act of cleansing or refreshing something.
Strokes9Radical氵Frequency#890DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and the act of washing is often associated with rituals of purification, especially before meals or religious activities. Public restrooms in China often emphasize the importance of hand washing.
Memory Tip
Imagine a large bowl of water (the radical 水) where you are washing (洗) your clothes. The character looks like a person bending over to wash something in water. Remember 'xǐ' sounds like 'she,' who is washing her clothes in the river.
Meanings of 洗
xǐ(xi3)
1to wash
2to bathe
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 洗
洗Simplified
9Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#890Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L2HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 洗
Podcast: 洗
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AI Study Notes for 洗
Quick Contrast
洗 (xǐ) vs 清 (qīng) — use 洗 for washing or bathing, while 清 refers to making something clean or clear without implying the act of washing.
Usage Notes
Be careful to use 洗 in contexts involving water or cleansing, as it is not appropriate for cleaning things that do not involve washing. For example, you would say '洗手' (wash hands) but not '洗书' (wash books). It is informal and widely used in daily conversations.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 2 word, 洗 connects with other basic verbs like 吃 (chī - to eat) and 喝 (hē - to drink). Focus on practicing it with phrases and everyday actions to reinforce its meaning and usage.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is to mix up 洗 with other cleaning verbs like 清 (qīng), which means 'to clean' in a broader sense. For example, saying '我清手' instead of '我洗手' is incorrect; the right phrase is '我洗手' (I wash my hands).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 洗
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 先 represents the sound.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half先 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 洗? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 洗?
Decomposition of 洗
IDS Structure⿰氵先
洗Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
先xian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 洗?
How to say to wash in Chinese
“to wash” in Chinese is洗xǐ
The character 洗 (xǐ) means 'to wash' or 'to bathe.' It is commonly used in everyday contexts, such as washing hands, clothes, or oneself. Additionally, it can refer to developing photographs, emphasizing the act of cleansing or refreshing something.
When to use 洗
Be careful to use 洗 in contexts involving water or cleansing, as it is not appropriate for cleaning things that do not involve washing. For example, you would say '洗手' (wash hands) but not '洗书' (wash books). It is informal and widely used in daily conversations.
洗 or something close to it
洗 (xǐ) vs 清 (qīng) — use 洗 for washing or bathing, while 清 refers to making something clean or clear without implying the act of washing.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is to mix up 洗 with other cleaning verbs like 清 (qīng), which means 'to clean' in a broader sense. For example, saying '我清手' instead of '我洗手' is incorrect; the right phrase is '我洗手' (I wash my hands).
Write 洗
洗
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Practice writing 洗 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 洗
洗 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 4 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.
