淘

• Pinyin: táo
• Hanzi breakdown: 淘 = 氵(water) + 匋 (pottery) — washing in water

Meaning

To wash in a pan; to scour; to dredge. Also: to search for or select through.

Originally meant panning for gold or washing rice. Now also means browsing and selecting items (especially online shopping on Taobao). Can describe eliminating or weeding out. Versatile in modern usage.

Examples

1. 做饭前记得把米淘干净，否则煮出来的饭会有糠味。 Remember to rinse the rice clean before cooking, otherwise the cooked rice will taste like bran.
2. 她喜欢在网上淘各种小众设计师品牌的衣服。 She loves hunting online for clothes from niche designer brands.
3. 这条河早年间有人来淘金，据说还真有人发了财。 In the early years, people came to pan for gold in this river — supposedly some actually struck it rich.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, shopping, mining

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 把米淘一下再煮。(Rinse the rice before cooking.)
• 我在网上淘到一件好东西。(I found something good shopping online.)

Don't Say

• 把正常清洗都说成'淘' (淘 specifically means swirling in water to remove debris — not general washing)

Origin & History

Originally depicted washing in water, related to panning for gold or washing grains.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal