干洗 (gān xǐ) — to dry-clean | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

verb

to dry-clean

Examples

干洗。
Zhè jiàn dà yī xū yào gān xǐ yí xià.
This coat needs to be dry-cleaned.
干洗。
Wǒ tōng cháng bǎ sī chóu yī fu sòng qù gān xǐ.
I usually send silk clothes for dry-cleaning.
干洗。
Gān xǐ diàn shuō zhè tào xī zhuāng kě yǐ gān xǐ.
The dry cleaner said this suit can be dry-cleaned.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

干洗 combines 干 (dry) with 洗 (wash) to mean washing in a dry way.

Characters in this word

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

倝

倝gàn乾gān

Same sound today

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

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.

Appears in

Cleaning & Chores

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