cā: 擦 - To Wipe, Rub, Brush Past, Apply

• Keywords: 擦, cā, how to say wipe in Chinese, how to say rub in Chinese, brush past in Chinese, apply ointment in Chinese, Chinese verb, learn Chinese, HSK 3 verb, 擦干, 擦亮, 擦肩而过, cā jiān ér guò.
• Summary: Discover the versatile Chinese verb 擦 (cā), a fundamental word you'll use every day. While its core meaning is “to wipe” or “to rub,” this HSK 3 verb extends to actions like applying makeup, polishing shoes, striking a match, or even metaphorically “brushing past” someone in a fateful near-miss. This guide will break down its uses from cleaning your apartment to understanding poetic idioms, making your Chinese more practical and authentic.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cā
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: 3
• Concise Definition: To move something back and forth against a surface, typically to clean, polish, or apply a substance.
• In a Nutshell: 擦 (cā) is a physical verb all about friction and contact. Think of the motion of using a cloth to clean a window, a towel to dry your hands, or your fingers to rub in lotion. It's the direct, hands-on action of rubbing one surface against another to achieve a result, whether that's cleanliness, shininess, or applying a product.

• 擦 (cā) is a phono-semantic compound character, which means one part gives the meaning and the other gives the sound.
• 扌 (shǒu): This is the “hand radical” (a compressed form of 手, hand). Its presence on the left almost always indicates that the character's meaning is related to an action performed with the hand.
• 察 (chá): The component on the right means “to examine” or “to observe.” In this context, it primarily serves as the phonetic component, giving the character its `cā` sound.
• Combined Meaning: You use your hand (扌) to perform the action that sounds like `cā`. This simple structure helps you remember both the meaning (a hand action) and the pronunciation.

While 擦 (cā) is a common, everyday verb, its extended meanings reveal something about Chinese expression. The most significant cultural nuance comes from the idiom 擦肩而过 (cā jiān ér guò), which literally means “to brush shoulders and pass by.” In English, “brushing past someone” is a simple physical description. In Chinese, however, 擦肩而过 is a deeply poetic and often melancholic phrase. It's used to describe a missed connection or a twist of fate. Two people who could have been great friends or lovers but never got the chance are said to have `擦肩而过`. This reflects a cultural perspective where encounters (or near-misses) can be seen as part of a larger, fated narrative. It highlights a sensitivity to the “what ifs” in life, a concept frequently explored in Chinese dramas, music, and literature. This contrasts with a more direct Western approach, where a near-miss is often just a near-miss without the same layer of fatalistic or romantic sentiment.

擦 (cā) is an extremely common verb used in many daily situations.

• Cleaning: This is the most frequent use. You can `擦` almost any surface to clean it.
  • `擦桌子 (cā zhuōzi)` - to wipe a table
  • `擦窗户 (cā chuānghu)` - to clean a window
  • `擦地板 (cā dìbǎn)` - to mop/wipe the floor
• Personal Care & Application: This involves rubbing something onto the body.
  • `擦干 (cā gān)` - to wipe something dry (e.g., hands, hair)
  • `擦药 (cā yào)` - to apply topical medicine/ointment
  • `擦口红 (cā kǒuhóng)` - to apply lipstick
  • `擦防晒霜 (cā fángshàishuāng)` - to apply sunscreen
• Other Physical Actions:
  • `擦皮鞋 (cā píxié)` - to polish leather shoes
  • `擦火柴 (cā huǒchái)` - to strike a match
  • `擦伤 (cā shāng)` - to get a scrape or abrasion (literally “to rub-injure”)
• Figurative & Idiomatic Use:
  • `擦边球 (cā biān qiú)` - Literally “to hit an edge ball” (in table tennis). Figuratively, it means to do something that is borderline or skirts the rules without explicitly breaking them.
  • `擦肩而过 (cā jiān ér guò)` - As mentioned above, to have a near-miss or miss an opportunity with someone.

• Example 1:
  • 吃完饭，请把桌子擦一下。
  • Pinyin: Chī wán fàn, qǐng bǎ zhuōzi cā yíxià.
  • English: After you finish eating, please wipe the table.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, polite request using 擦 for daily chores. The `把 (bǎ)` structure is very common with 擦 to emphasize the object being acted upon.
• Example 2:
  • 他不小心摔倒了，擦伤了膝盖。
  • Pinyin: Tā bù xiǎoxīn shuāidǎo le, cā shāng le xīgài.
  • English: He accidentally fell and scraped his knee.
  • Analysis: Here, 擦 combines with `伤 (shāng - injury)` to form a resultative compound verb, `擦伤 (cāshāng)`, which specifically means “to scrape” or “to get an abrasion.”
• Example 3:
  • 洗完手后，记得用毛巾擦干。
  • Pinyin: Xǐ wán shǒu hòu, jìde yòng máojīn cā gān.
  • English: After washing your hands, remember to dry them with a towel.
  • Analysis: `擦干 (cā gān)` is another resultative compound, meaning “to wipe until dry.” This highlights the difference between `洗 (xǐ - to wash)` and `擦 (cā - to wipe)`.
• Example 4:
  • 我们在机场擦肩而过，谁也没有看见谁。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen zài jīchǎng cā jiān ér guò, shéi yě méiyǒu kànjiàn shéi.
  • English: We brushed past each other at the airport, and neither of us saw the other.
  • Analysis: This showcases the famous idiom `擦肩而过`, implying a missed connection and a sense of fate.
• Example 5:
  • 老师叫我把黑板上的字擦掉。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī jiào wǒ bǎ hēibǎn shàng de zì cā diào.
  • English: The teacher told me to erase the words on the blackboard.
  • Analysis: `擦掉 (cā diào)` means “to wipe away” or “to erase.” The result complement `掉 (diào)` indicates removal.
• Example 6:
  • 他的回答很聪明，打了一个擦边球。
  • Pinyin: Tā de huídá hěn cōngmíng, dǎ le yí ge cā biān qiú.
  • English: His answer was very clever; it was borderline/skirted the issue.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the idiomatic use of `擦边球` to describe an action or statement that is right on the edge of the rules or propriety.
• Example 7:
  • 蚊子咬了我，我得擦点药。
  • Pinyin: Wénzi yǎo le wǒ, wǒ děi cā diǎn yào.
  • English: A mosquito bit me, I have to apply some medicine.
  • Analysis: A very practical use of 擦 for applying creams, lotions, or ointments.
• Example 8:
  • 出门前，他花了五分钟擦皮鞋。
  • Pinyin: Chūmén qián, tā huā le wǔ fēnzhōng cā píxié.
  • English: Before leaving the house, he spent five minutes polishing his leather shoes.
  • Analysis: `擦皮鞋 (cā píxié)` specifically means to polish shoes, implying the rubbing action that makes them shiny.
• Example 9:
  • 别哭了，快把眼泪擦一擦。
  • Pinyin: Bié kū le, kuài bǎ yǎnlèi cā yi cā.
  • English: Don't cry, quickly wipe your tears away.
  • Analysis: The “V + yi + V” pattern (`擦一擦`) is a common way to soften the tone and suggest a quick, casual action.
• Example 10:
  • 天黑了，他擦着了一根火柴。
  • Pinyin: Tiān hēi le, tā cā zháo le yì gēn huǒchái.
  • English: It got dark, so he successfully struck a match.
  • Analysis: This shows a less common but still valid meaning: to strike. The `着 (zháo)` is a result complement indicating success (the match lit).

• `擦 (cā)` vs. `洗 (xǐ)` - Wipe vs. Wash: This is the most common pitfall for beginners.
  • `洗 (xǐ)` means to wash, and almost always involves a liquid like water. You `洗手 (xǐ shǒu - wash hands)` or `洗车 (xǐ chē - wash a car)`.
  • `擦 (cā)` means to wipe, which can be done with a dry or damp cloth. It's often the action you perform *after* washing to dry something.
  • Incorrect: `我要洗桌子。` (I want to wash the table.) - This sounds strange, as if you're going to douse it with a bucket of water.
  • Correct: `我要擦桌子。` (I want to wipe the table.)
• `擦 (cā)` vs. `抹 (mǒ)` - Rub vs. Spread/Smear: These two are closer in meaning but have different connotations.
  • `擦 (cā)` implies a back-and-forth motion, often for cleaning or polishing.
  • `抹 (mǒ)` implies a spreading or smearing motion. You `抹黄油 (mǒ huángyóu - spread butter)` on bread or `抹墙 (mǒ qiáng - plaster a wall)`. While you can both `擦药` and `抹药`, `抹` suggests spreading it over an area, while `擦` might imply rubbing it in more vigorously.

• `擦干` (cā gān) - To wipe dry. A highly common compound where `干 (gān)` acts as a result complement.
• `擦掉` (cā diào) - To wipe away, to erase. `掉 (diào)` indicates removal.
• `擦亮` (cā liàng) - To polish until shiny. `亮 (liàng)` means bright or shiny.
• `擦伤` (cā shāng) - A scrape, an abrasion. A verb-noun compound describing an injury from rubbing.
• `摩擦` (mó cā) - Friction; to rub. A more formal or scientific term. `擦` is the action; `摩擦` is the physical force.
• `擦肩而过` (cā jiān ér guò) - A poetic idiom for a missed connection or fated near-miss.
• `抹` (mǒ) - A close verb meaning to spread, smear, or apply by spreading.
• `洗` (xǐ) - The distinct verb for washing with liquid.
• `刷` (shuā) - To brush. Used for actions involving a brush, like `刷牙 (shuā yá - brush teeth)` or `刷鞋 (shuā xié - brush shoes)`, which is different from polishing them (`擦鞋`).