盥

Ritual ablution; specifically, the act of washing the hands. It typically signals a transition from the profane to the sacred or the casual to the formal (e.g., before sacrifices, entering a temple, or meeting a superior).

Verb: The act of performing ritual washing.

Noun: The ritual basin used for the washing.

Unlike 洗 (xǐ), which denotes general cleaning or the removal of dirt, 盥 is associated with purification and propriety. When used without an explicit object, it almost always refers specifically to the hands; contrast this with 沐 (mù), which is reserved for washing the hair.

The presence of 盥 strongly suggests a formal or ceremonial context. If the passage describes mundane hygiene (e.g., kitchen or bathhouse settings), the use of this glyph is atypical and may warrant closer scrutiny of the text's intent.