扫除

• Pinyin: sǎo chú
• Hanzi breakdown: 扫 = 扌(hand) + 帚 (broom) = to sweep; 除 = 阝(left mound, steps) + 余 (remainder — remove what remains) = to eliminate, remove

Meaning

To sweep clean; to eliminate; to remove or eradicate. Used both literally for cleaning and figuratively for removing obstacles or problems.

The literal sense (to clean by sweeping) is everyday usage; the figurative sense (to eradicate, remove) is more formal and common in political, educational, and strategic contexts. 扫除障碍 (eliminate obstacles), 扫除文盲 (eradicate illiteracy), 扫除腐败 (root out corruption). Also refers to the year-end general cleaning (大扫除).

Examples

1. 改革方案的顺利推进需要相关部门共同协作，扫除制度层面长期存在的体制障碍和利益壁垒。 For the reform plan to move forward smoothly, relevant departments need to work together to remove long-standing institutional barriers and entrenched interest walls in the system.
2. 这次集中整治行动旨在扫除辖区内的违章建筑，还居民一个整洁有序的生活环境。 This focused cleanup campaign aims to eliminate illegal structures in the district and give residents a clean, orderly living environment.
3. 全校师生在学期末开展了一次彻底的大扫除，对教室、走廊和操场进行了全面清洁整理。 At the end of the semester, the entire school held a thorough cleanup, fully cleaning and organizing the classrooms, hallways, and playground.

Usage Guide

Context: cleaning, politics, education, administration

Tone: neutral to positive

Do Say

• 这项教育援助计划的首要目标是在五年内全面扫除偏远山区的文盲现象，让每一位儿童都能享有基本的受教育权利。(The primary goal of this educational assistance programme is to completely eradicate illiteracy in remote mountain areas within five years, ensuring every child enjoys the right to basic education.)
• 在重大活动开幕前，主办方组织工作人员对整个场馆进行了彻底的安全扫除，确保不存在任何安全隐患。(Before the opening of the major event, the organisers arranged for staff to conduct a thorough safety sweep of the entire venue, ensuring no safety hazards existed.)

Don't Say

• 他扫除了快乐 — 扫除 collocates with tangible obstacles or concrete problems, not abstract positive emotions; use 消除 or 破坏 for destroying feelings or atmosphere

Origin & History

扫 = 扌(hand) + 帚 (broom) = to sweep; 除 = 阝(mound/steps) + 余 (remainder/remove) = to remove, eliminate — together: to sweep away and eliminate

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal