xǐyīfěn: 洗衣粉 - Laundry Powder, Washing Powder, Laundry Detergent

• Keywords: xiyifen, 洗衣粉, laundry powder in Chinese, washing powder, laundry detergent, how to say laundry in Chinese, Chinese cleaning products, daily life vocabulary, 洗衣服, 洗衣液
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for laundry powder, 洗衣粉 (xǐyīfěn). This guide provides a complete breakdown of its meaning, characters (洗-wash, 衣-clothes, 粉-powder), and cultural context. Discover how it's used in everyday life in China with 10 practical example sentences, and learn the crucial difference between powdered detergent (洗衣粉) and liquid detergent (洗衣液) to shop and handle chores like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xǐyīfěn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A powdered chemical substance used for washing clothes.
• In a Nutshell: 洗衣粉 (xǐyīfěn) is the most common and straightforward term for “laundry powder.” The name is brilliantly logical, literally translating to “wash-clothes-powder.” It's a fundamental vocabulary word for anyone living in China, essential for basic tasks like shopping at the supermarket or talking about household chores.

• 洗 (xǐ): To wash. This character's left side is the “water” radical (氵), clearly indicating an action related to water. The right side (先) provides the sound and can suggest something being done first, like cleansing.
• 衣 (yī): Clothes or garment. This character is a simple pictograph that originally looked like the collar and sleeves of an ancient robe.
• 粉 (fěn): Powder or dust. The character combines “rice” (米) on the left with “to divide” (分) on the right, vividly suggesting the process of milling rice into a fine powder.

When combined, 洗衣粉 (xǐyīfěn) creates a perfectly descriptive term: a powder (粉) for washing (洗) clothes (衣).

While “laundry powder” might seem mundane, it connects to daily life and cultural norms in China. For decades, 洗衣粉 was the default and most economical choice for laundry, reflecting a cultural value of thriftiness (节俭, jiéjiǎn). It's often sold in large, heavy plastic bags in supermarkets. The practice of washing clothes, whether by hand or machine, is a core part of maintaining a clean and orderly home, which is highly valued. A classic image of urban Chinese life is the sight of freshly washed clothes hanging from bamboo poles extended from apartment balconies (晾衣服, liàng yīfu). This practice is partly due to the high cost of electricity for dryers and a cultural belief that sunshine naturally disinfects and freshens clothes in a way a machine cannot. The scent of a particular brand of 洗衣粉 can be a nostalgic, familiar smell associated with home. This contrasts with Western trends, where liquid detergents, specialized pods, and eco-friendly options gained popularity earlier. While liquid detergent (洗衣液, xǐyīyè) is now very common in Chinese cities, 洗衣粉 remains a staple, especially in rural areas and among older generations.

洗衣粉 is a neutral, everyday term used in all informal and most formal contexts related to household chores.

• In the Supermarket: You will see this term written in large characters on bags in the cleaning aisle (清洁用品区, qīngjié yòngpǐn qū). You'll often need to choose between different brands (牌子, páizi) and scents (香味, xiāngwèi).
• At Home: It's used when discussing chores. For example, you might say “We're out of laundry powder” (洗衣粉用完了) or ask someone to add it to the washing machine.
• Powder vs. Liquid: The key practical distinction is between 洗衣粉 (xǐyīfěn) and its liquid counterpart, 洗衣液 (xǐyīyè). As in the West, many younger Chinese people now prefer liquid detergent as it dissolves more easily, but powder is often seen as more powerful for heavily soiled items and is generally cheaper.

• Example 1:
  • 我们得去超市买点儿洗衣粉。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen děi qù chāoshì mǎi diǎnr xǐyīfěn.
  • English: We need to go to the supermarket to buy some laundry powder.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence for household shopping. `得 (děi)` means “must” or “have to.”
• Example 2:
  • 糟糕，家里的洗衣粉用完了。
  • Pinyin: Zāogāo, jiā lǐ de xǐyīfěn yòng wán le.
  • English: Oh no, we've run out of laundry powder at home.
  • Analysis: `用完 (yòng wán)` is a resultative complement meaning “to use up.” It's a key pattern for talking about supplies.
• Example 3:
  • 你觉得哪个牌子的洗衣粉去污能力最强？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde nǎge páizi de xǐyīfěn qùwū nénglì zuì qiáng?
  • English: Which brand of laundry powder do you think has the strongest stain-removing ability?
  • Analysis: A useful sentence for asking for recommendations. `去污能力 (qùwū nénglì)` means “stain-removing ability.”
• Example 4:
  • 你放太多洗衣粉了，等一下会有很多泡沫。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ fàng tài duō xǐyīfěn le, děngyīxià huì yǒu hěnduō pàomò.
  • English: You put in too much laundry powder, there will be a lot of suds later.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a common instruction or observation when doing laundry. `泡沫 (pàomò)` means “suds” or “bubbles.”
• Example 5:
  • 为了保护环境，我选择用环保洗衣粉。
  • Pinyin: Wèile bǎohù huánjìng, wǒ xuǎnzé yòng huánbǎo xǐyīfěn.
  • English: To protect the environment, I choose to use eco-friendly laundry powder.
  • Analysis: Shows how you can add adjectives before the noun. `环保 (huánbǎo)` means “environmentally friendly.”
• Example 6:
  • 这种洗衣粉有一股淡淡的茉莉花香。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng xǐyīfěn yǒu yī gǔ dàndàn de mòlihuā xiāng.
  • English: This kind of laundry powder has a light jasmine scent.
  • Analysis: `一股 (yī gǔ)` is a measure word for smells. `淡淡的 (dàndàn de)` means “light” or “faint.”
• Example 7:
  • 请把洗衣粉放在孩子们拿不到的地方。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ xǐyīfěn fàng zài háizimen ná bu dào de dìfang.
  • English: Please put the laundry powder in a place where children can't reach it.
  • Analysis: This uses the `把 (bǎ)` construction to talk about disposing of an object. `拿不到 (ná bu dào)` means “unable to reach/get.”
• Example 8:
  • 和洗衣液相比，我个人更喜欢用洗衣粉。
  • Pinyin: Hé xǐyīyè xiāng bǐ, wǒ gèrén gèng xǐhuān yòng xǐyīfěn.
  • English: Compared to liquid detergent, I personally prefer to use laundry powder.
  • Analysis: `和…相比 (hé…xiāng bǐ)` is a useful structure for making comparisons.
• Example 9:
  • 这件白衬衫上的咖啡渍需要用强力洗衣粉才能洗掉。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn bái chènshān shàng de kāfēi zì xūyào yòng qiánglì xǐyīfěn cáinéng xǐ diào.
  • English: The coffee stain on this white shirt needs a powerful laundry powder to be washed out.
  • Analysis: `洗掉 (xǐ diào)` is another resultative complement meaning “to wash away.”
• Example 10:
  • 别把洗衣粉和漂白剂混在一起！
  • Pinyin: Bié bǎ xǐyīfěn hé piǎobáijì hùn zài yīqǐ!
  • English: Don't mix the laundry powder and bleach together!
  • Analysis: A useful warning. `混在一起 (hùn zài yīqǐ)` means “to mix together.”

• 洗衣粉 (xǐyīfěn) vs. 洗衣液 (xǐyīyè): This is the most common point of confusion. Remember: 粉 (fěn) = powder, 液 (yè) = liquid. If you go into a store and ask for `xǐyīfěn`, you will be shown bags of powder. If you want the liquid in a bottle, you must ask for `xǐyīyè`.
• Not for Personal Hygiene: Do not confuse 洗衣粉 with products for washing your body or hands. It is a harsh chemical detergent.
  • Incorrect: 我用洗衣粉洗手。(Wǒ yòng xǐyīfěn xǐshǒu.) - “I wash my hands with laundry powder.”
  • Correct: 我用洗手液洗手。(Wǒ yòng xǐshǒuyè xǐshǒu.) - “I wash my hands with liquid hand soap.” or 我用肥皂洗手。(Wǒ yòng féizào xǐshǒu.) - “I wash my hands with a bar of soap.”
• Specificity: 洗衣粉 is a general term. If you need a specific type, you must add an adjective, such as `浓缩 (nóngsuō)` for “concentrated” or `含柔顺剂 (hán róushùnjì)` for “contains fabric softener.”

• 洗衣液 (xǐyīyè) - Liquid laundry detergent. The most common alternative to 洗衣粉.
• 洗衣服 (xǐ yīfu) - To do laundry/wash clothes. The action that requires 洗衣粉.
• 洗衣机 (xǐyījī) - Washing machine. The machine where you use 洗衣粉.
• 肥皂 (féizào) - Bar soap. Can be used for hand-washing clothes, especially tough stains, but is distinct from powdered detergent.
• 柔顺剂 (róushùnjì) - Fabric softener. A product added during the rinse cycle.
• 漂白剂 (piǎobáijì) - Bleach. A strong chemical used for whitening and disinfecting.
• 家务 (jiāwù) - Housework, chores. Washing clothes is a common type of `jiāwù`.
• 晾衣服 (liàng yīfu) - To hang clothes out to dry. The next step after washing with 洗衣粉.
• 超市 (chāoshì) - Supermarket. The primary place to purchase 洗衣粉.
• 洗衣凝珠 (xǐyī níngzhū) - Laundry pods. The newest form of laundry detergent, becoming more popular in urban China.