洗

The core sense is the application of fluid to remove an unwanted substance. This range includes:

• Physical/Hygiene: Basic washing or rinsing of the body, hands, face, or objects.
• Ritual Purification: Symbolic transition from the profane to a sacred space or encounter with a superior.
• Spiritual Purgation: Metaphorical stripping away of worldly desires or mental clutter (e.g., 洗心) to restore primordial clarity. The nuance is typically that of "rinsing"—the removal of impurities via flow—rather than scrubbing.

Functions almost exclusively as a transitive verb denoting the action of washing.

Distinguished from more specific terms for washing: 沐 (mù, hair or head), 浴 (yù, full body), and 濯 (zhuó, textiles/clothes). The choice of 洗 over these terms often suggests a broader action or an emphasis on the aspect of purification rather than a specific physical target.

In classical usage, 洗 typically denotes the process of washing rather than the result. To indicate that an object has actually become clean, it is frequently paired with a resultative complement such as 淨 (jìng) or 清 (qīng). The translator should not assume the cleaning was successful unless a resultative is present or clearly implied by context.