打扫 (dǎ sǎo) — to clean, to sweep | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

打扫 means 'to clean' (a room, floor, etc.) — broader than 扫, which is specifically 'to sweep'. Use 打扫 for everyday tidying of a whole space.

verb

to cleanto sweep

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

打 and 扫 both contribute cleaning, so 打扫 means to sweep clean.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

扌丁打

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 掃; 扫 is its simplified writing.

The form 掃 draws a hand with a broomstick, the thing used for sweeping.

Appears in