漂白水
piǎobáishuǐ
The English word 'bleach' translates to Chinese as 漂白水 (piǎobáishuǐ).
漂白水 is used to refer to the liquid chemical substance known as bleach.
Meaning: chemical (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun 漂白水 is composed of 漂白, which means 'to bleach' and 水, meaning 'water'.
Which one should you use?
Use 漂白水 when you are referring to the liquid chemical itself. In contrast, use 漂白 when you are referring to the process of bleaching or using it as a verb 'to bleach'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
piǎobáishuǐ
Did you know?
- When talking about 'bleaching' teeth, Chinese speakers often use 美白, which means 'beautifying white', instead of the chemical term 漂白.
- The character 漂 means 'to float' or 'to drift' in addition to its use in bleaching. This reflects the way chemicals disperse and float through water to remove color.
- In Chinese, the word 漂白 is frequently used metaphorically to describe 'whitewashing' a reputation or scrubbing a criminal record clean.
Examples in context
- 请确保使用漂白剂时注意安全。Please make sure to use bleach safely.
- 这个漂白剂能有效地去除顽固污渍。This bleach can effectively remove stubborn stains.
- 这瓶漂白水闻起来很刺鼻。Zhè píng piǎobáishuǐ wén qǐlái hěn cìbì.This bottle of bleach smells very pungent.
- 不要把漂白水洒在衣服上。Búyào bǎ piǎobáishuǐ sǎ zài yīfu shàng.Don't spill bleach on the clothes.
- 我们需要买一些漂白水来消毒。Wǒmen xūyào mǎi yīxiē piǎobáishuǐ lái xiāodú.We need to buy some bleach for disinfection.
Example conversation
In the kitchen while cleaning.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，漂白水在哪里？Yǔtíng, piǎobáishuǐ zài nǎlǐ?Yuting, where is the bleach?
- 雨婷 Yuting在橱柜下面，伟。Zài chúguì xiàmiàn, Wěi.It's under the kitchen cabinet, Wei.
- 伟 Wei我找到了，谢谢。Wǒ zhǎodào le, xièxiè.I found it, thanks.
- 雨婷 Yuting小心使用，别弄到手上。Xiǎoxīn shǐyòng, bié nòng dào shǒu shàng.Use it carefully, don't get it on your hands.
