Definify.com

Definition 2025

洗手

洗手

Chinese

		to wash; to bathe	hand; convenient; -er
simp. and trad. (洗手)		洗	手

Verb

洗手

to wash one's hands
(euphemistic) to go to the toilet
(euphemistic, of criminals) to reform; to retire

Derived terms

洗手液 (xǐshǒuyè)

洗手間／洗手间 (xǐshǒujiān)

Korean

Hanja in this term
洗	手

Noun

洗手 • ‎(sesu) ‎(hangeul 세수)

Hanja form^? of 세수, “washing one's face”.

Pronunciation

Mandarin

(Pinyin): xǐshǒu

(Zhuyin): ㄒㄧˇ ㄕㄡˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): sai² sau²
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): sé-sú
Min Nan (POJ): sé-chhiú / sóe-chhiú

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Beijing)⁺
  - Pinyin: xǐshǒu
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧˇ ㄕㄡˇ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiishoou
  - IPA ^(key): /ɕi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: sai² sau²
  - Yale: sái sáu
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sai² sau²
  - IPA ^(key): /sɐi̯³⁵ sɐu̯³⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sé-sú
  - Hakka Romanization System: se` su`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: se³ su³
  - IPA: /se³¹ su³¹/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sé-chhiú / sóe-chhiú
  - Tâi-lô: sé-tshiú / sué-tshiú
  - Phofsit Daibuun: sefchiuo, soefchiuo
  - IPA (Xiamen): /se⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵³/, /sue⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵³/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /se⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵⁵⁴/, /sue⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵⁵⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /se⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵³/, /sue⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /se⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵³/, /sue⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁵³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /se⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁴¹/, /sue⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡ɕʰiu⁴¹/