掃 (sǎo) - To sweep & to clean with a broom

掃Tone 3

sǎo ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

三姗

掃 · sǎo

To sweep;

to clean with a broom;

to eliminate;

to clear away;

to pass over quickly.

To sweepto clean with a broomto eliminate

Usage highlights

Sweep the floorScan the codeScanning deviceScanning electron microscopeSweep awaySweep clean

Synonyms

  • 清除— to clear away, to eliminate
  • 打扫— to clean, to sweep
  • 清理— to clean up, to tidy

Antonyms

  • 堆积— to pile up, to accumulate
  • 污染— to pollute, to contaminate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She sweeps the floor every morning (扫地).
  • Scan the QR code with your phone (扫码).
  • They scanned the document into the computer (扫描).
  • The radar sweeps the area (雷达扫描).

Collocations

  • Sweep the floor(扫地)
  • Scan the code(扫码)
  • Scanning device(扫描仪)
  • Scanning electron microscope(扫描电镜)
  • Sweep away(扫除)
  • Sweep clean(扫净)

Idioms

  • Sweep away like falling leaves(秋风扫落叶)
  • Sweep away all obstacles(横扫千军)
  • Sweep the snow to find plum blossoms(扫雪寻梅)
  • Sweep the door in welcome(扫榻以待)
  • Sweep away illiteracy(扫除文盲)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally associated with household chores and cleanliness rituals.
  • In modern usage, extended to technological contexts like scanning and digital sweeping.
  • The character appears in idioms describing thorough elimination or complete clearance.
  • Spring cleaning customs involve sweeping to remove bad luck and welcome new beginnings.

FAQ