扫帚 (sàozhou) means 'broom' in English. It refers to a tool used for sweeping floors and cleaning up debris. In daily life, it is a common household item, symbolizing cleanliness and organization.
HSK 7, 16 strokes, Hard
sàozhou(sao4zhou3) T4
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May 27, 2026
扫帚sàozhou(sao4zhou3)
扫帚 (sàozhou) means 'broom' in English. It refers to a tool used for sweeping floors and cleaning up debris. In daily life, it is a common household item, symbolizing cleanliness and organization.
Strokes16Frequency#—DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese households, the broom is not just a cleaning tool but also symbolizes the removal of bad luck and the welcoming of good fortune, especially during the Lunar New Year.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sweeping motion as you 'sweep' away your worries. The character 扫 (sǎo) looks like a hand moving back and forth, which is what you do with a broom, while 帚 (zhǒu) resembles a bundle of twigs tied together, just like the bristles of a broom.
About 扫帚
扫帚Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 扫帚
Podcast: 扫帚
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AI Study Notes for 扫帚
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a sweeping motion as you 'sweep' away your worries. The character 扫 (sǎo) looks like a hand moving back and forth, which is what you do with a broom, while 帚 (zhǒu) resembles a bundle of twigs tied together, just like the bristles of a broom.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 扫帚 with 扫 (to sweep), but remember that 扫帚 is the tool itself. It is more commonly used in informal settings, and you might hear it in everyday conversations about cleaning.
HSK Study Tips
At HSK 7, focus on understanding 扫帚 in various contexts, such as household chores or metaphors for cleaning up one's life. This word connects with other HSK 7 vocabulary related to domestic activities and tools.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese households, the broom is not just a cleaning tool but also symbolizes the removal of bad luck and the welcoming of good fortune, especially during the Lunar New Year.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is to confuse 扫帚 with 垃圾桶 (lèsè tǒng, trash can). Remember that 扫帚 is the broom, while 垃圾桶 is where you put the debris after sweeping. Another mistake is mispronouncing 帚 as 'zhou' instead of 'zhǒu.'
AI-enhanced 2026-05-27
Pronunciation of 扫帚
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Cultural Notes for 扫帚
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese households, the broom is not just a cleaning tool but also symbolizes the removal of bad luck and the welcoming of good fortune, especially during the Lunar New Year.
Frequently Asked Questions about 扫帚
Besides sweeping floors, 扫帚 can also be used in idiomatic expressions related to cleaning up one's life or problems.
Generally, 扫帚 is used in informal settings, so in formal writing, you might prefer to describe cleaning tools more technically.
Make sure to differentiate the tones: 扫 (sǎo) is the third tone, and 帚 (zhǒu) is the third tone as well, so it has a unique rhythm.
