揾 (wèn) - to wipe & to wipe away tears

揾Tone 4

wèn ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

揾 · wèn

to wipe;

to wipe away tears;

to press;

to apply;

to find (in Cantonese);

to earn (in Cantonese)

to wipeto wipe away tearsto press

Usage highlights

wipe sweatwipe tearsfind a jobpress a buttonapply ointmentearn a living

Synonyms

  • 擦— to wipe; to rub
  • 抹— to wipe; to erase
  • 找— to find; to look for (Mandarin equivalent for Cantonese meaning)

Antonyms

  • 丢— to lose; to throw away
  • 失— to lose; to miss

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He wiped the sweat from his brow (揾汗).
  • She wiped away her tears (揾眼泪).
  • I need to find a job (揾工 in Cantonese).
  • He pressed the button firmly (揾按钮).

Collocations

  • wipe sweat(揾汗)
  • wipe tears(揾眼泪)
  • find a job(揾工 - Cantonese)
  • press a button(揾按钮)
  • apply ointment(揾药膏)
  • earn a living(揾食 - Cantonese)

Idioms

  • To seek a living(揾食艰难)
  • To wipe away tears and blood(揾泪抹血)
  • To press down and subdue(揾压平定)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Cantonese, 揾 is commonly used to mean 'to find' or 'to seek', a usage not found in Standard Mandarin.
  • The character carries a pragmatic connotation related to livelihood and daily survival in Cantonese-speaking regions.
  • Its literal meaning of 'to wipe' or 'to press' reflects physical actions in classical Chinese contexts.

FAQ