English–Japanese

“wash” in Japanese

Japanese

Pronunciation

Romajiarau

Example

食事の前に、手を洗います。shoku ji no mae ni te o ara i ma su

I wash my hands before meals.

Illustration for 洗う (wash)

How to say “wash” in Japanese

“Wash” in Japanese is 洗う (arau).

It describes removing dirt or unwanted material from something by using water or another cleaning process.

Full entry for 洗う: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 洗う

毎日手を洗います。mai nichi te o ara i ma su

I wash my hands every day.

このシャツは水で洗います。ko no sha tsu wa mizu de ara i ma su

I wash this shirt with water.

Tips for using 洗う

  • In everyday Japanese, 洗う (arau) applies to hands, dishes, clothes, and the body, so its range is broader than the hand-washing example alone.

“wash” in other languages