wash
wash — 動詞
1. to remove dirt or marks from an object or surface by rubbing it in water, often
清洗；洗
用水和肥皂清潔物品
to remove dirt or marks from an object or surface by rubbing it in water, often with soap
Gabriel washed the dishes right after dinner so they would not pile up.
Gabriel 吃完晚餐後馬上清洗碗盤，以免堆積起來。
wash + object (dishes, clothes, car)
The mechanic washed the grease off his hands with a special soap.
技工用一種特殊的肥皂洗掉手上的油汙。
Omar always washes his car on Saturday mornings in the driveway.
Omar 總是在星期六早上在車道上洗車。
Hui washed the muddy boots under the garden tap before going inside.
Hui 進屋前先在水龍頭下沖洗沾滿泥土的靴子。
- dirty
to make something unclean, the opposite action of washing
文法句型
wash + object (item being cleaned)
用法筆記
Commonly used with an adverb or preposition to show where or how the cleaning happens (wash off, wash out, wash away).
常見錯誤
2. to use water and soap to clean yourself, including specific parts of your body s
清洗身體
用水和肥皂清潔身體
to use water and soap to clean yourself, including specific parts of your body such as your hands or face
After the long hike, Trang washed her face with cool water from the stream.
長途健行之後，Trang 用溪水清洗臉龐。
wash + body part (face, hands, hair)
The toddler cried when his mother tried to wash his hair with shampoo.
那學步兒在媽媽試圖用洗髮精幫他洗頭時哭了起來。
Felipe always washes before breakfast to feel fresh for the day.
Felipe 總是早餐前先盥洗，讓自己精神飽滿迎接一天。
The nurse told the patient to wash between his toes carefully every day.
護士告訴病人每天要仔細清洗腳趾縫。
文法句型
wash + optional object (yourself / body part)
用法筆記
When no object is given (e.g. 'I washed and dressed quickly'), it implies washing your whole body. When a body part is named, use a possessive determiner: 'she washed her hair', not 'she washed the hair'.
常見錯誤
3. describes how a fabric or an item of clothing reacts to being cleaned with water
耐洗；好洗
布料經水洗不變質
describes how a fabric or an item of clothing reacts to being cleaned with water without losing colour, shape, or quality
This woollen sweater washes beautifully and stays soft even after many uses.
這件羊毛衫很耐洗，多次穿著後依然柔軟。
material + washes + adverb (well, beautifully)
The cotton bedsheets from the market did not wash well and shrank in the first cycle.
市場買的那套棉床單不耐洗，第一次洗就縮水了。
Aarav only buys clothes that wash easily without needing special care.
Aarav 只買容易清洗、不需要特別照顧的衣服。
These jeans have washed dozens of times and still look like new.
這條牛仔褲洗了幾十次，看起來還是像新的一樣。
- launder
more formal; 'launder' is a verb for the process, not a quality of the fabric
文法句型
wash + adverb (well, beautifully)
material + washes + adverb
用法筆記
Almost always used with an adverb such as 'well', 'badly', 'beautifully', or 'easily'. The subject is the fabric or garment, not the person washing.
常見錯誤
4. when water moves in a particular direction, often repeatedly against a surface s
沖刷；拍打
水流動反覆觸及表面
when water moves in a particular direction, often repeatedly against a surface such as a shore, rock, or wall
The river water washes over the smooth stones in the shallow part of the stream.
河水沖刷著溪流淺灘處光滑的石頭。
water + washes + preposition (over, against, through)
Élise listened to the rain washing against the bedroom window all night long.
Élise 整夜聽著雨水拍打臥室窗戶的聲音。
Warm ocean water washes gently against the white sand of the beach.
溫暖的海水輕輕拍打著沙灘上的白沙。
Sea water washes through the narrow channel twice every day.
海水每天兩次流經這條狹窄的水道。
文法句型
water + washes + adverb/preposition (against, over, through)
用法筆記
Always used with a preposition or adverb to show direction. The subject is the water itself, not a person. Common prepositions: against, over, through, along, past.
5. when the sea or a large body of water moves something or someone from one place
沖走；沖上岸
海水將物體移至他處
when the sea or a large body of water moves something or someone from one place to another, often by pushing with waves or current
The strong current washed the small boat away from the dock during the storm.
暴風雨期間，強勁的水流將小船從碼頭沖走。
be washed + adverb/preposition (away, ashore, out)
After the shipwreck, Christopher was washed ashore on a small island.
船難之後，Christopher 被沖上一座小島的海灘。
Erik watched the plastic bottles wash up on the beach with every high tide.
Erik 看著每次漲潮時塑膠瓶被沖上沙灘。
The flood waters washed the wooden bridge downstream during the night.
洪水夜裡把木橋沖到下游去了。
文法句型
wash + object + adverb/preposition
be washed + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice: 'was washed away/ashore/overboard'. The object being moved is typically inanimate, but can refer to a person in dramatic contexts.
wash — 名詞
1. the occasion of cleaning an object or surface — for example dishes, a car, or th
清洗；洗滌
清潔物品或表面的動作
the occasion of cleaning an object or surface — for example dishes, a car, or the floor — using water and often soap
Theo gave his car a good wash before the family road trip at the weekend.
Theo 在家庭公路旅行前好好洗了車。
give something a wash
Hui could not sleep until she had a quick wash and brushed her teeth.
Hui 快速盥洗並刷牙後才睡得著。
The kitchen floor needs a wash after cooking a big meal with many guests.
招待許多客人做大餐後，廚房地板需要清洗。
The dog needed a wash after rolling in the mud at the park.
狗狗在公園泥地裡打滾後需要洗澡。
文法句型
have a wash
give something a wash
用法筆記
Usually used with 'have' or 'give' ('have a wash', 'give something a wash'). British English uses this more than American English for body washing.
常見錯誤
2. the collection of clothes, sheets, and towels that are being washed or need to b
待洗衣物
一批要洗的衣物
the collection of clothes, sheets, and towels that are being washed or need to be cleaned, especially in a machine
Trang put her jeans and T-shirts into the wash before going to work.
Trang 出門上班前把牛仔褲和T恤放進洗衣機。
in the wash / do the wash
Felipe separated the white wash from the dark clothes to avoid colour bleeding.
Felipe 將淺色衣物和深色衣物分開，以免染色。
The baby's blankets are in the wash because she spilled juice on them.
寶寶的毯子在洗衣機裡，因為她打翻了果汁在上面。
Aarav sorted the wash into three piles before loading the machine.
Aarav 把待洗衣物分成三堆，然後放進洗衣機。
- laundry
more general; 'laundry' includes dry cleaning and ironing, while 'wash' implies machine washing only
文法句型
do the wash
in the wash
用法筆記
American English uses 'the wash' where British English uses 'the washing'. Common phrases: 'do the wash', 'in the wash', 'a load of wash'.
常見錯誤
3. a term used in British English to refer to the general activity or items involve
洗好的衣物
英式用語，指待洗衣物
a term used in British English to refer to the general activity or items involved in cleaning clothes and household fabrics
Omar hung the wash on the line in the garden to dry in the afternoon sun.
Omar 把洗好的衣物掛在花園的曬衣繩上，讓午後的陽光照曬。
hang the wash — British idiom for hanging laundry
The bed sheets are in the wash and will be ready by tomorrow morning.
床單正在洗，明天早上就會準備好。
The wash from the camping trip included muddy socks and wet towels.
露營回來要洗的衣物包括沾滿泥土的袜子和濕毛巾。
Christopher forgot to take the wash out of the machine before work.
Christopher 上班前忘了把洗衣機裡的衣服拿出來。
用法筆記
In British English, this functions as a synonym for 'washing' (the noun form). It is less common in American English where 'laundry' is preferred for this sense.
4. the activity of washing your own body, for example by having a bath, taking a sh
盥洗；沐浴
用水清洗身體
the activity of washing your own body, for example by having a bath, taking a shower, or cleaning just your hands or face
After working in the garden all morning, Christopher needed a good wash.
在花園工作了一整個早上，Christopher 需要好好洗個澡。
have / need a wash (body)
Aarav had a quick wash in the bathroom before the dinner guests arrived.
Aarav 在晚餐客人抵達前快速洗了個澡。
The hikers stopped at the stream for a wash after walking for six hours.
健行者走了六小時後在小溪邊停下來盥洗。
Erik gave his face a quick wash before meeting the neighbours.
Erik 在拜訪鄰居前快速洗了把臉。
文法句型
have a wash
need a wash
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 covers washing objects (car, dishes, floor), while sense 4 is specifically for body washing. In British English, 'have a wash' almost always means cleaning yourself.
5. the task or activity of cleaning clothes, sheets, and other fabric items, typica
洗衣；洗衣服
清洗衣物的家務
the task or activity of cleaning clothes, sheets, and other fabric items, typically using a washing machine
Élise does the wash every Sunday evening so her uniforms are ready for the week.
Élise 每週日晚上洗衣服，這樣一週的制服就會準備好。
do the wash
The wash from three households filled the laundromat machines completely.
三個家庭的衣服把自助洗衣店的洗衣機塞得滿滿的。
Erik forgot to take the wash out of the machine before going to bed.
Erik 睡前忘了把洗衣機裡的衣服拿出來。
Ayana does the wash on Sundays so her children have clean uniforms for Monday.
Ayana 週日洗衣服，這樣孩子們週一就有乾淨的制服穿。
- laundry
more common in American English; 'laundry' can also include dry cleaning
文法句型
do the wash
用法筆記
Frequently used in the phrase 'do the wash'. In American English, 'do the laundry' is more common. In British English, 'do the washing' is standard.
常見錯誤
6. a thin coating of liquid — especially paint thinned with water or clean water al
薄塗層
水彩或淡色薄層
a thin coating of liquid — especially paint thinned with water or clean water alone — lightly brushed onto a surface to produce a soft, see-through effect in art
The artist applied a pale blue wash to the sky before adding the clouds.
畫家在畫雲朵之前，先在天空部分塗上一層淡藍色的薄彩。
a + colour/material + wash (painting technique)
Ayana used a grey wash over the pencil drawing to give it an antique look.
Ayana 在鉛筆畫上塗了一層灰色薄彩，讓畫作呈現復古感。
A final wash of clean water over the watercolour painting softened all the edges.
最後在整幅水彩畫上刷一層清水，讓所有邊緣變得柔和。
- coat
thicker and more opaque; 'coat' suggests covering, not transparency
用法筆記
Domain-specific to watercolour painting. Collocates with colour words ('blue wash', 'grey wash') and 'watercolour wash'. Not used for opaque paint.
7. describes an outcome where positive and negative factors cancel one another out,
打平；扯平
得失相抵無盈虧
describes an outcome where positive and negative factors cancel one another out, producing no net gain or loss
We gained two new clients but lost one old one, so the quarter was a wash.
我們增加了兩家客戶，但流失了一家老客戶，所以這一季打平。
be a wash (neutral outcome)
The company spent extra on marketing but saved on rent, so the budget was a wash overall.
公司行銷多花了錢，但房租省了，所以預算大致扯平。
Gabriel won some money at poker but lost it at blackjack, so the night was a wash.
Gabriel 打撲克贏了一些錢，但玩二十一點又輸掉了，所以當晚沒輸贏。
- win
a clear positive outcome, the opposite of a neutral result
文法句型
it is a wash
be a wash
用法筆記
Always used in the singular with the indefinite article: 'a wash'. Typically follows 'it is', 'it was', or 'it turned out to be'. The phrase implies no net gain or loss.
常見錯誤
8. the soft, continuous sound made by the sea as it moves against the shore, rocks,
浪濤聲
海水拍打岸邊的聲音
the soft, continuous sound made by the sea as it moves against the shore, rocks, or a boat
Omar fell asleep to the gentle wash of the waves against the wooden pier.
Omar 在波浪輕拍木造碼頭的聲音中入睡。
the wash of + sea/waves
From the cottage window, they could hear the wash of the tide on the pebbles below.
從小屋的窗戶，他們可以聽見潮水拍打下方鵝卵石的聲音。
The wash of the ocean against the hull of the boat was strangely calming.
海水拍打船身的聲音出奇地令人平靜。
文法句型
the wash of the sea/waves
用法筆記
Often preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of' + noun ('the wash of the waves'). Describes the sound rather than the movement of water. Frequently used in descriptive and literary writing.
wash — 形容詞
1. describing a fabric, item, or surface that can be cleaned with water without bei
可水洗的
可用水清洗不損壞
describing a fabric, item, or surface that can be cleaned with water without being damaged
The label on the jacket says it is machine wash, so do not hand wash it.
外套標籤上寫著可用洗衣機清洗，所以不要用手洗。
machine wash — care-label shorthand for washable
Naoko checked the care label and saw the words 'machine wash', so she put the blanket straight into the machine.
Naoko 查看了保養標籤，看到「machine wash」的字樣，於是把毯子直接放進洗衣機。
The store sells only machine-wash school uniforms for busy families.
那家店只賣可用洗衣機清洗的學校制服，方便忙碌的家庭。
Walid bought a jacket that is machine wash, so he no longer needs to visit the dry cleaner.
Walid 買了一件可用洗衣機清洗的外套，從此不必再去乾洗店。
- washable
the standard adjective form; 'wash' on labels is an abbreviated form
- dry-clean only
the opposite care instruction
用法筆記
This usage is most commonly seen on garment care labels or in product descriptions. It functions as a short form of 'washable', typical of clothing tags and care instructions.
wash — 字尾
1. a suffix added to words describing qualities or causes, creating verbs that accu
虛假宣傳
假借善名掩蓋問題
a suffix added to words describing qualities or causes, creating verbs that accuse organisations of pretending to help or protect something while actually causing harm or doing nothing meaningful
Many companies greenwash their products by using eco-friendly labels without changing their production methods.
許多公司採用環保標籤進行漂綠，卻未改變生產方式。
greenwash (environmental deception)
Critics accused the government of pinkwashing when it promoted LGBT-friendly policies while cutting social services.
批評者指責政府在推動同志友善政策的同時削減社福是在進行粉紅洗白。
The country was accused of sportswashing when it hosted a major tournament to distract from human rights issues.
該國被指控舉辦大型賽事進行運動洗白，以轉移人權問題的焦點。
Fashion brands that claim to be eco-friendly but still use harmful materials are simply greenwashing the public.
宣稱環保卻仍使用有害材料的時尚品牌，只是在對大眾進行漂綠。
文法句型
-wash (forms verbs from adjectives and nouns)
用法筆記
A modern, productive suffix that creates new verbs by combining a value-laden word with '-wash'. Common formations: 'greenwash' (environment), 'pinkwash' (LGBT rights), 'sportswash' (image repair through sports). The '-wash' element draws from the idea of 'whitewash' (to cover up faults).