xǐ yīfu: 洗衣服 - To Wash Clothes, To Do Laundry
Quick Summary
Keywords: wash clothes in Chinese, laundry in Chinese, how to say do laundry in Chinese, xiyifu, 洗衣服, Chinese verb-object phrase, Chinese chores, HSK 2 vocabulary, washing clothes, doing laundry
Summary: Learn how to say “to wash clothes” or “do laundry” in Chinese with the essential term 洗衣服 (xǐ yīfu). This guide breaks down the characters 洗 (to wash) and 衣服 (clothes), explores the cultural context of doing laundry in China (like hanging clothes to dry), and provides 10 practical example sentences. Master this common verb-object phrase, a fundamental part of daily conversation and HSK 2, and avoid common mistakes.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): xǐ yīfu
Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase
HSK Level: HSK 2
Concise Definition: To wash clothes; to do the laundry.
In a Nutshell: 洗衣服 (xǐ yīfu) is the most direct and common way to talk about the chore of washing clothes in Mandarin Chinese. It's a literal combination of the verb 洗 (xǐ), meaning “to wash,” and the noun 衣服 (yīfu), meaning “clothes.” Think of it as the direct equivalent of the English action “to wash clothes.”
Character Breakdown
洗 (xǐ): This character means “to wash.” It's a phono-semantic compound. The left part is the water radical (氵), indicating the meaning is related to water. The right part, 先 (xiān), primarily provides the phonetic sound.
衣 (yī): This character means “clothing” or “garment.” It is a pictograph, originally drawn to look like an ancient upper-body garment with a collar and sleeves.
服 (fú): This character also relates to clothing. When combined with 衣, it forms the general, modern word for “clothes.”
Together, 洗 (xǐ) acts as the verb and 衣服 (yīfu) acts as the object, creating a simple, intuitive phrase: “wash clothes.” This verb-object structure is incredibly common in Chinese.
Cultural Context and Significance
While washing clothes is a universal chore, the process and context in China can be culturally distinct for a learner from the West.
The most noticeable difference is the method of drying. In many Western countries, particularly the US, electric clothes dryers are standard. In China, it is far more common to 晾衣服 (liàng yīfu), or hang clothes to dry. This is true even in modern, high-rise apartment buildings in major cities. Walking through any residential neighborhood, you will see a colorful array of clothes hanging from balconies, a quintessential slice of daily life in China. This practice is rooted in a belief that sunshine naturally disinfects clothes and saves electricity.
Historically, washing was done by hand in a basin or at a river. While the 洗衣机 (xǐyījī), or washing machine, is now ubiquitous in urban homes, the cultural imagery of hand-washing clothes persists in older media and rural areas. The location of the washing machine is also different; instead of a dedicated “laundry room,” it's typically found in the bathroom or on an enclosed balcony to facilitate easy water access and hanging.
Practical Usage in Modern China
洗衣服 is a neutral, everyday term used by everyone. It's appropriate in virtually any informal or semi-formal context when discussing daily life and chores.
You'll hear it in conversations among family members, roommates, or friends when coordinating household tasks. For example:
Because it is a verb-object phrase, it is “separable.” This means you can insert words between the verb 洗 (xǐ) and the object 衣服 (yīfu). For example, `洗完衣服 (xǐ wán yīfu)` means “to finish washing clothes.” This is a key grammatical feature to understand for proper usage.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
我今天太累了，不想洗衣服。
Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān tài lèi le, bùxiǎng xǐ yīfu.
English: I'm too tired today, I don't want to do the laundry.
Analysis: A simple, common statement expressing a feeling about a chore. 不想 (bùxiǎng) means “don't want to.”
Example 2:
你已经把脏衣服都洗了吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ yǐjīng bǎ zāng yīfu dōu xǐ le ma?
English: Have you already washed all the dirty clothes?
Analysis: This sentence uses the 把 (bǎ) structure to bring the object “dirty clothes” (脏衣服) before the verb 洗. This is a very common way to structure sentences about disposal or action upon an object.
Example 3:
妈妈正在阳台上洗衣服。
Pinyin: Māma zhèngzài yángtái shàng xǐ yīfu.
English: Mom is washing clothes on the balcony right now.
Analysis: 正在 (zhèngzài) indicates an action in progress, equivalent to the English “-ing” form.
Example 4:
我们家的洗衣机一次可以洗很多衣服。
Pinyin: Wǒmen jiā de xǐyījī yīcì kěyǐ xǐ hěnduō yīfu.
English: Our family's washing machine can wash a lot of clothes at one time.
Analysis: This shows how a modifier, 很多 (hěnduō - “a lot of”), can be placed between the verb and the object. This is an example of the phrase's separability.
Example 5:
洗衣服的时候，别忘了放洗衣液。
Pinyin: Xǐ yīfu de shíhou, bié wàngle fàng xǐyīyè.
English: When you're washing clothes, don't forget to add laundry detergent.
Analysis: “…的时候 (…de shíhou)” is a standard structure for “When…”
Example 6:
我每个星期六早上洗衣服。
Pinyin: Wǒ měi gè xīngqīliù zǎoshang xǐ yīfu.
English: I do laundry every Saturday morning.
Analysis: This sentence describes a habitual action or routine.
Example 7:
你能帮我洗一下这件衣服吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ xǐ yíxià zhè jiàn yīfu ma?
English: Can you help me wash this piece of clothing quickly?
Analysis: Here, the phrase is separated to specify *which* clothing item. “一下 (yíxià)” softens the request and implies a quick action.
Example 8:
洗完衣服以后，我们出去吃饭吧。
Pinyin: Xǐ wán yīfu yǐhòu, wǒmen chūqù chīfàn ba.
English: After finishing the laundry, let's go out to eat.
Analysis: This demonstrates a common grammatical pattern using “完 (wán)” as a resultative complement, meaning “to finish.” 洗完 (xǐ wán) means “to finish washing.”
Example 9:
外面下雨了，今天没法洗衣服。
Pinyin: Wàimiàn xiàyǔ le, jīntiān méi fǎ xǐ yīfu.
English: It's raining outside, there's no way to do laundry today.
Analysis: 没法 (méi fǎ) means “no way” or “can't,” often used when circumstances prevent an action. This is especially relevant in a culture where air-drying is common.
Example 10:
他把所有颜色的衣服都放在一起洗。
Pinyin: Tā bǎ suǒyǒu yánsè de yīfu dōu fàng zài yīqǐ xǐ.
English: He puts clothes of all colors together to wash.
Analysis: Another example of the 把 (bǎ) structure, emphasizing what he does *to the clothes*.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
Verb-Object Structure: The most common mistake for learners is treating 洗衣服 as a single verb. It is a verb (洗) + an object (衣服). This means you cannot add another object after it.
Incorrect: 我要洗衣服我的衬衫。 (Wǒ yào xǐ yīfu wǒ de chènshān.) → This is like saying “I want to wash clothes my shirt.”
Correct: 我要洗我的衬衫。 (Wǒ yào xǐ wǒ de chènshān.)
Correct: 我要洗衣服，特别是这件衬衫。(Wǒ yào xǐ yīfu, tèbié shì zhè jiàn chènshān.) - “I want to do laundry, especially this shirt.”
Separability: As shown in the examples, you can (and often must) separate 洗 and 衣服 to add more information, such as complements, duration, or quantity.
`洗过衣服 (xǐ guò yīfu)` - have washed clothes (in the past)
`洗了半天衣服 (xǐ le bàntiān yīfu)` - washed clothes for a long time
`衣服洗干净了 (yīfu xǐ gānjìng le)` - The clothes have been washed clean. (Here, the topic is moved to the front).
洗衣机 (xǐyījī) - Washing machine. The tool used for the action.
晾衣服 (liàng yīfu) - To hang clothes to dry. The typical next step after washing in China.
干洗 (gānxǐ) - To dry clean. An alternative method for delicate clothing.
洗衣液 (xǐyīyè) - Liquid laundry detergent. A necessary item for washing.
洗衣粉 (xǐyīfěn) - Laundry powder. Another type of detergent.
脏衣服 (zāng yīfu) - Dirty clothes. The state of the clothes before washing.
叠衣服 (dié yīfu) - To fold clothes. The step after clothes are dry.
家务 (jiāwù) - Housework, chores. The general category this activity belongs to.
干净 (gānjìng) - Clean. The desired result of washing.