The New Year is often when people decide to spring clean, and do those DIY projects they’ve been putting off for months. Below is a list of vocabulary and phrases that you can use to describe household chores and DIY activities.
Spring Cleaning Verbs
洗 (xǐ) can be used as a verb to describe the action ‘wash’. You can use it many different situations for cleaning the home, including the following:
洗衣 (xǐ yī) Wash clothes
洗碗 (xǐ wǎn) Wash dishes
清洗 (qīng xǐ) To wash or clean
洗涤 (xǐ dí) To rinse
洗净 (xǐ jìng) To wash clean
洗 (xǐ) is also used in for washing hands ‘洗手’ (xǐ shǒu) and bathing ‘洗澡’ (xǐ zǎo).
Another useful verb when describing chores is 扫 (sǎo) which means ‘to sweep’.
扫地 (sǎo dì) to sweep the floor
打扫 (dǎ sǎo) to clean or sweep
擦 (cā) means to ‘erase’ or ‘wipe’ and can be used in the following words:
擦拭 (cā shì) to wipe clean
擦干 (cā gān) to wipe dry
擦亮 (cā liàng) to polish
Other useful verbs for housework are:
叠 (dié) to fold (clothes, linen)
掸/撢 (dǎn) to dust (shelves, cabinets)
收拾 (shōu shi) to tidy
拖 (tuō) to mop (floors)
Spring Cleaning List 春季大扫除单 (chūn jì dà sǎo chú dān)
客厅 (kè tīng) Living Room
吸尘 (xī chén) to vacuum
擦窗户 (cā chuāng hu) Clean windows
掸灰尘 (dǎn huī chén) Dust shelves and surfaces
擦镜子 (cā jìng zi) Clean mirrors
浇花 (jiāo huā) Water plants
叠衣服 (dié yī fu) Fold laundry
厨房 (chú fáng) Kitchen
洗碗 (xǐ wǎn) Wash dishes
擦灶台 (cā zào tái) Clean stove
擦烤箱 (cā kǎo xiāng) Clean oven
擦微波炉 (cā wēi bō lú) Clean microwave
清洗冰箱 (qīng xǐ bīng xiāng) Clean out fridge
整理厨房用具 (zhěng lǐ chú fáng yòng jù) Reorganize utensils
消毒垃圾桶 (xiāo dú lā jī tǒng) Disinfect rubbish bin
卧室 (wò shì) Bedroom
铺床 (pū chuáng) Make the bed
洗床单 (xǐ chuáng dān) Wash bed sheets
翻床垫 (fān chuáng diàn) Flip mattress
整理橱子 (zhěng lǐ chú zi)/衣柜 (yī guì) Organize closet/wardrobe
整理床底 (zhěng lǐ chuáng dǐ) Clean under the bed
洗手间 (xǐ shǒu jiān) Bathroom
刷浴缸 (shuā yù gāng) Scrub bathtub/shower
清理水槽 (qīng lǐ shuǐ cáo) Clean sink
打扫浴室 (dǎ sǎo yù shì) Clean toilet
扔掉不用的化妆护肤用品 (rēng diào bù yòng de huà zhuāng hù fū yòng pǐn) Throw away old cosmetics and toiletries
擦浴帘 (cā yù lián) Wipe shower curtain
补充洗手液 (bǔ chōng xǐ shǒu yè) Refill soap
外面 (wài mian) Outside
割草 (gē cǎo) mow grass
洗车 (xǐ chē) Wash car
收拾车库 (shōu shi chē kù) Tidy garage
