擦澡 (cā zǎo) — to take a sponge bath; to wash oneself with a wet towel or sponge

Definition

擦澡 means to wash up with a wet towel or sponge instead of a shower or tub bath — often when hot water is unavailable. Distinguish from 洗澡, which assumes a shower or bath.

verb
to take a sponge bathto wash oneself with a wet towel or sponge

Examples

  • 擦澡。
    Tā měi tiān zǎo shàng dōu cā zǎo.
    He takes a sponge bath every morning.
  • 。
    Tā cā le yí gè zǎo cái shuì jiào.
    He took a sponge bath before going to sleep.
  • ，擦澡。
    Yīn wèi méi yǒu rè shuǐ, tā men zhǐ hǎo cā zǎo.
    Because there was no hot water, they had to take a sponge bath.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

擦cārub
澡zǎobath

擦 means to rub or wipe, and 澡 means a bath, so it describes wiping the body instead of soaking.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
察
察chá擦cā
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 is the hand, showing that 擦 is an action done with the hand, such as wiping or scrubbing; the right part 察 gives the sound.

Open 擦 →

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
喿
喿zào澡zǎo
Same sound today

澡 uses 水 (water) to show the idea of washing and 喿 to give the sound.

Open 澡 →

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