Feeling overwhelmed by 家务 (jiāwù – household chores)? What if you could tidy your home and learn practical Chinese at the same time? Let’s dive in!

Essential Cleaning Verbs

Every chore starts with an action!

扫地 (Sǎo dì) – Sweep the floor. Use a 扫把 (sàobǎ – broom)!

拖地 (Tuō dì) – Mop the floor. Need a 拖把 (tuōbǎ – mop) and 水桶 (shuǐtǒng – bucket).

擦桌子 (Cā zhuōzi) – Wipe the table. Grab a 抹布 (mābù – cloth)!

倒垃圾 (Dào lājī) – Take out the trash. Put 垃圾 (lājī – garbage) in the 垃圾桶 (lājītǒng – trash can).

 

Laundry Day = 洗衣日 (Xǐyī rì)

Conquer your laundry pile with these terms:

洗衣服 (Xǐ yīfu) – Wash clothes

晾衣服 (Liàng yīfu) – Hang clothes to dry

叠衣服 (Dié yīfu) – Fold clothes

熨衬衫 (Yùn chènshān) – Iron a shirt

Tip: Throw dirty clothes in the 脏衣篮 (zāng yī lán – laundry basket)!

 

Kitchen Duty 厨房任务 (Chúfáng rènwù)

Cooking and cleaning? Yes, you’re learning!

洗碗 (Xǐ wǎn) – Wash dishes. Use 洗洁精 (xǐjiéjīng – dish soap)!

擦柜台 (Cā guìtái) – Wipe the counter

整理冰箱 (Zhěnglǐ bīngxiāng) – Organize the fridge

 

Pro Language Tip!

Pair chores with 时间词 (shíjiān cí – time words):

每天 (Měitiān – Every day)：我每天扫地。(Wǒ měitiān sǎo dì. – I sweep the floor daily.)

周末 (Zhōumò – Weekend)：我周末洗衣服。(Wǒ zhōumò xǐ yīfu. – I do laundry on weekends.)