How to say "wash" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 洗うあらうgodan verb, transitive verbThe general verb for washing: it covers cleansing or rinsing things such as your hands, face, clothes, or dishes with water. For most everyday senses of 'wash', this is the word you want.
- 研ぐとぐgodan verb, transitive verbUsed only for washing rice — rinsing it before cooking. It is not a general washing verb: for anything other than rice, 洗う is the word you need.
Use 「洗う」 for washing in general — hands, face, clothes, dishes — and reserve 「研ぐ」 for the single specific sense of washing rice before cooking it.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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