洗濯

• Reading: せんたく
• Romaji: sentaku
• Kanji breakdown: 洗 (sen) — wash; 濯 (taku) — rinse, cleanse
• Pronunciation: /seɴ.ta.kɯ/

Meaning

Washing; laundry. The act of cleaning clothes and other fabrics.

A transitive suru-verb (洗濯する = to do laundry). An essential daily life word. Common compounds include 洗濯機 (washing machine), 洗濯物 (laundry/clothes to be washed), and 洗濯バサミ (clothespin). In Japan, hanging laundry outside to dry is still very common.

Examples

1. 毎朝洗濯をしてからベランダに干します。 Every morning I do the laundry and hang it out on the balcony.
2. 雨の日は洗濯物が乾かなくて困る。 On rainy days, the laundry won't dry and it's a pain.
3. 洗濯機が壊れたのでコインランドリーに行った。 The washing machine broke, so I went to a laundromat.

Usage Guide

Context: home, daily life, household chores

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 洗 (to wash) and 濯 (to rinse, to cleanse). Together they describe the full process of washing and rinsing fabric.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal