扫

• Pinyin: sǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 扫 = 扌(hand radical) + simplified 帚 (broom) — sweeping by hand

Meaning

To sweep; to clean with a broom. Also means to scan in modern usage.

Primarily means to sweep the floor or ground (扫地). In modern Chinese, extended to scanning, especially QR codes (扫码). Also used in 打扫 (to clean up) and 扫除 (to sweep away). The character captures the action of a hand guiding a broom.

Examples

1. 妈妈每天早上都会扫地。 Mum sweeps the floor every morning.
2. 你先把房间扫一扫再拖地。 Sweep the room first, then mop the floor.
3. 用手机扫一下这个二维码就可以付款。 Just scan this QR code with your phone to pay.

Usage Guide

Context: cleaning, technology, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你能帮我扫一下地吗？(Could you help me sweep the floor?)
• 请扫这个二维码关注我们。(Please scan this QR code to follow us.)

Don't Say

• 我要扫房子 meaning 'I want to sweep the house' (Use 扫地 for sweeping the floor or 打扫房子 for cleaning the house — 扫房子 alone is not standard)

Origin & History

Simplified from the traditional 掃, combining 扌(hand) and 帚 (broom) — sweeping by hand with a broom.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal