掃除

• Reading: そうじ
• Romaji: souji
• Kanji breakdown: 掃 (sou) — sweep; 除 (ji) — remove, exclude
• Pronunciation: /soː.dʑi/

Meaning

Cleaning; sweeping; dusting; scrubbing. The act of making a place clean and tidy.

A transitive suru-verb (掃除する = to clean). One of the most common household vocabulary words. In Japanese schools, students perform 掃除の時間 (cleaning time) daily, cleaning their own classrooms and hallways. Common compound: 掃除機 (vacuum cleaner).

Examples

1. 週末に部屋の掃除をしました。 I cleaned my room over the weekend.
2. 毎日お風呂の掃除をするのは大変です。 Cleaning the bath every day is a lot of work.
3. 掃除機をかけてから床を拭いた。 I vacuumed and then wiped the floor.

Usage Guide

Context: home, school, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 掃 (to sweep) and 除 (to remove). Together: to sweep away and remove dirt.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal