洗

xǐ

to wash; to bathe

to develop (photographs); to shuffle (cards etc); to erase (a recording)

water (氵) + phonetic 先 = to wash

先 lends the sound xǐ (approximately); the water radical carries all the meaning, placing this action squarely in the realm of water and cleansing.

氵+先→洗

先FirstPhonetic

氵WaterSemantic

拆洗

chāi xǐ

to unpick and wash (e.g. padded garment)

洗绿

xǐ lǜ

to greenwash

领洗

lǐng xǐ

to be baptized

酒精洗手液

jiǔ jīng xǐ shǒu yè

alcohol-based hand sanitizer

金盆洗手

jīn pén xǐ shǒu

lit. to wash one's hands in a gold basin (idiom)

革面洗心

gé miàn xǐ xīn

lit. to renew one's face and wash one's heart (idiom); to repent sincerely and mend one's mistaken ways

高压清洗机

gāo yā qīng xǐ jī

high pressure washer

一贫如洗

yī pín rú xǐ

penniless

上空洗车

shàng kōng xǐ chē

topless car wash

干洗

gān xǐ

to dry clean

以泪洗面

yǐ lèi xǐ miàn

to bathe one's face in tears (idiom)

免洗杯

miǎn xǐ bēi

disposable cup (Tw)