洗

xǐ, xiǎn

先 + 氵

HSK 2.0Level 2

HSK 3.0Level 2

Definitions

xǐ (verb) to wash; to bathe

xǐ (verb) to develop (photo)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 先 represents the sound.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 先

About

The character 洗 (xǐ) is a phono-semantic compound: the water radical 氵 (shuǐ) categorizes the action within the domain of liquids, while the phonetic 先 (xiān) provides the sound and independently means 'first'. Its literal sense is washing with water to remove dirt, stains, or organic impurities from objects, clothes, or the body. Over time, this physical cleansing extended to figurative uses like clearing one's reputation, purging a political organization of undesirable elements, and developing photographic film in darkroom baths.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我在洗衣服。

Wǒ zài xǐ yīfu.

I am washing clothes.

他经常洗手。

Tā jīngcháng xǐ shǒu.

He often washes his hands.

妹妹在洗澡。

Mèimei zài xǐzǎo.

Younger sister is taking a bath.

爸爸用洗衣机洗衣服。

Bàba yòng xǐyījī xǐ yīfu.

Dad uses the washing machine to wash clothes.

我不洗冷水澡。

Wǒ bù xǐ lěngshuǐ zǎo.

I don't take cold baths.

你洗过这些盘子吗？

Nǐ xǐ guò zhèxiē pánzi ma?

Have you washed these plates?

洗完衣服后，她要去超市。

Xǐ wán yīfu hòu, tā yào qù chāoshì.

After washing clothes, she is going to the supermarket.

这家洗衣店洗得很干净。

Zhè jiā xǐyīdiàn xǐ de hěn gānjìng.

This laundry washes clothes very cleanly.

Related Characters

Component: 先

Component: 氵

洗