擦

• Pinyin: cā
• Hanzi breakdown: 擦 = 扌(hand) + 察 (examine, phonetic) — wiping action performed by hand

Meaning

To wipe; to rub; to clean by wiping. A common action verb for cleaning surfaces.

Used for wiping, rubbing, or cleaning surfaces with a cloth or hand. Common collocations include 擦桌子 (wipe the table), 擦窗户 (clean the windows), 擦手 (wipe hands), and 擦药 (apply medicine by rubbing). Can also mean to scrape past something: 擦肩而过 (brush past each other).

Examples

1. 吃完饭以后，请把桌子擦干净。 After eating, please wipe the table clean.
2. 他用毛巾擦了擦脸上的汗。 He wiped the sweat from his face with a towel.
3. 别忘了擦黑板，下节课要用。 Don't forget to erase the blackboard; it's needed for the next class.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, cleaning, home

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你能帮我擦一下窗户吗？(Can you help me wipe the windows?)
• 先擦干手再拿书。(Dry your hands first before picking up the book.)

Don't Say

• 说'擦地'来表示拖地 (Don't say 擦地 when you mean mopping — 擦 implies wiping with a cloth; use 拖地 for mopping with a mop)

Origin & History

The character combines 扌(hand radical) with 察 (to examine, phonetic component), suggesting a hand performing a rubbing or wiping motion.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal