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换洗 (huàn xǐ) — to change (clothes) for washing; to change and wash (clothes)

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning to swap out clothes for washing — it covers both the changing AND the washing in one action, not just changing clothes.

verb
to change (clothes) for washingto change and wash (clothes)

Examples

  • 换洗。
    Wǒ bǎ zhè xiē huàn xǐ de yī fu fàng zài xǐ yī jī lǐ.
    I put these clothes for washing in the washing machine.
  • 换洗。
    Zhè xiē huàn xǐ de yī fu xū yào xǐ le.
    These clothes for washing need to be washed.
  • 换洗。
    Tā měi zhōu mò dōu huàn xǐ suǒ yǒu de yī fu.
    He changes and washes all his clothes every weekend.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

换huànchange
洗xǐwash

换 and 洗 are two related actions on clothes: change them and wash them.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 換; 换 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
奐
奐huàn換huàn
Same sound today

For the traditional form 換, 手 is the hand part and 奐 gives the sound; this note is about 換, not the simplified 换.

Open 换 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
先
先xiān洗xǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洗 is built from 水 (water) and 先, which gives the character its sound.

Open 洗 →
Appears in
Cleaning & ChoresClothing

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