洗 xǐ — to wash; to bathe
吃饭前要先洗手。Chī fàn qián yào xiān xǐ shǒu.Wash your hands before eating.
Common words: 洗手间 (xǐ shǒu jiān)、洗澡 (xǐ zǎo)、洗衣机 (xǐ yī jī)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to wash"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to wash", including 洗 (xǐ), 淘 (táo). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to wash" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 洗 (xǐ), 淘 (táo) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span xǐ, táo — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 洗 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 洗 xǐto wash; to batheUseful words: 洗手间, 洗澡
- 淘 táocleanse; eliminate; to clean out; to washUseful words: 淘汰, 淘气
Common words for these 2 "to wash" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 洗 (xǐ) — so "to wash" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "to wash".
淘 táo — cleanse; eliminate; to clean out; to wash
这个孩子又聪明又淘气。Zhè ge hái zi yòu cōng míng yòu táo qì.This child is both clever and naughty.
Common words: 淘汰 (táo tài)、淘气 (táo qì)、海淘 (hǎi táo)
All 2 characters
Open 洗、淘 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.