wash

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 洗 has 9 strokes and denotes washing things.
• Basic usage: 洗う is read あらう, and 洗濯 is read せんたく.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• What is washed
  • 野菜をよく洗う describes washing vegetables.
  • 靴を外で洗った describes washing shoes.
  • 洗濯 refers to laundering clothing and similar items, so it does not replace 洗う for every act of washing, such as washing vegetables.
• The small っ in the past form
  • 洗った is the past form of 洗う, with the ending changing to った.