清洁工
qīngjiégōng
The English phrase 'cleaning lady' can be translated into Chinese as 清洁工 (qīngjiégōng).
While 'cleaning lady' in English often implies a female, the Chinese term 清洁工 focuses on the job function rather than the gender.
Meaning: Translations (noun)
Which one should you use?
清洁女工 specifically refers to a female cleaning lady, and 保洁人员 or 清洁员工 are used to mean 'cleaning personnel' or 'cleaning staff'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a professional or formal setting, such as a workplace or commercial environment, 保洁员 is a more professional way to refer to cleaning staff. Similarly, 清洁女工, 清洁员工 and 保洁人员 are considered formal terms. In casual social settings, such as an apartment complex or office, people often use the colloquial and polite term 保洁阿姨 to refer to a female cleaning lady.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, the term 清潔阿姨 can be used to refer to a cleaning lady.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term 清洁工 is gender-neutral and does not specify whether the worker is male or female.
How do you pronounce it?
qīngjiégōng
Did you know?
- In some professional contexts, cleaners are addressed as 师傅, which means 'master' or 'skilled worker'. This acknowledges their technical expertise and is a highly respectful way to address any manual laborer.
- In many Chinese cities, cleaning staff are referred to as 环卫工 if they work for the municipal sanitation department. This term specifically links their job to 'environmental protection' rather than just 'cleaning'.
- The term 保洁 (bǎojié) used in professional settings specifically implies 'preserving cleanliness' rather than just the act of 'cleaning'.
Examples in context
- 请问，你是清洁女工吗？Excuse me, are you a cleaning lady?
- 那位清洁工正在擦窗户。Nà wèi qīngjiégōng zhèngzài cā chuānghu.That cleaning lady is wiping the windows.
- 我们需要请一位清洁工来打扫。Wǒmen xūyào qǐng yī wèi qīngjiégōng lái dǎsǎo.We need to hire a cleaning lady to clean up.
- 清洁工已经把地板拖干净了。Qīngjiégōng yǐjīng bǎ dìbǎn tuō gānjìng le.The cleaning lady has already mopped the floor clean.
Example conversation
In a small office, discussing the building maintenance.
- 梓涵 Zihan办公室的清洁工今天没来吗？Bàngōngshì de qīngjiégōng jīntiān méi lái ma?Is the office cleaning lady not here today?
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，她今天请假了。Shì de, tā jīntiān qǐngjià le.Yes, she took the day off today.
- 梓涵 Zihan那我们要自己打扫吗？Nà wǒmen yào zìjǐ dǎsǎo ma?Then do we have to clean it ourselves?
- 俊杰 Junjie不用，下午会有别人来。Bùyòng, xiàwǔ huì yǒu biérén lái.No need, someone else will come in the afternoon.
