帚 (zhǒu) - broom & a brush for sweeping

帚Tone 3

zhǒu ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 巾

志

帚 · zhǒu

broom;

a brush for sweeping;

implement for cleaning

brooma brush for sweepingimplement for cleaning

Usage highlights

broombamboo broombroom handlebroomcorn broombroom makingbroom and dustpan

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She sweeps the floor with a broom (扫帚).
  • The broom is made of bamboo (竹帚).
  • He bought a new broom (新帚).
  • The witch rides a broomstick (帚柄).

Collocations

  • broom(扫帚)
  • bamboo broom(竹帚)
  • broom handle(帚柄)
  • broomcorn broom(高粱帚)
  • broom making(制帚)
  • broom and dustpan(帚箕)

Idioms

  • To cherish the broom as if it were gold(敝帚自珍)
  • To sweep the snow with a broom(帚扫积雪)
  • The broom sweeps clean(帚扫尘清)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 帚 has been used as a cleaning tool in China for thousands of years, with early forms made from bundled twigs or plant fibers.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, the broom symbolizes cleanliness and order, and is associated with domestic duties.
  • The character appears in the idiom 敝帚自珍, meaning 'to value one's own old broom' - metaphorically to cherish something of little value simply because it's one's own.

FAQ