In this post I will cover laundry vocabulary and phrases, including washing, drying and ironing clothes.
Check out my related post on Chinese clothing vocabulary here.
Chinese Laundry Vocabulary
| English | Chinese | Pinyin Pronunciation | Literal Translation |
| laundry soap |
|
xǐyī zào | wash – clothes – soap |
| soap powder |
|
féizào fěn | soam – powder |
| soap flakes |
|
zào piàn | soap – flakes |
| detergent |
|
xǐyī fěn | wash – clothes – powder |
| ironing board |
|
tàng yī bǎn | iron – clothes – board |
| to iron (verb) |
|
yùn | iron |
| washing machine |
|
xǐyījī | wash – clothes – machine |
| clothing / laundry |
|
yīwù | clothes – things |
| clothes dryer |
|
gàn yī jī | dry – clothes – machine |
| clothes dryer |
|
gān yī jī | dry – clothes – machine |
| washing basket |
|
xǐyī lǒu | wash – clothes – basket |
| laundry basket |
|
xǐyī lǒu/ xǐyī lán | wash – clothes – basket |
| to fold |
|
dié | to fold |
| handwash |
|
shǒuxǐ | hand – wash |
| clothes line |
|
shài yī shéng | bask in sun – clothes – line |
| shirt |
|
chènshān | lining – garment |
| dress |
|
liányīqún | connect – clothes – skirt |
| clothes line |
|
liáng yīfú de shéngzi | cool – clothes – cord |
| clothes line |
|
liàng yī shéng | dry – clothes – line |
| to dry |
|
liàng | to dry |
| clothes peg |
|
yī jiā | cltohes – peg |
Chinese Laundry Phrases
| English | Chinese | Pinyin Pronunciation |
| I’ll iron a shirt for you |
|
wǒ lái gěi nǐ yùn chènyī |
| I need to iron a shirt to wear tomorrow. |
|
wǒ xūyào yùn yīxià míngtiān chuān de chènshān. |
| I need to iron a shirt for work. |
|
Wǒ xūyào wéi shàngbān yùn yī jiàn chènyī. |
| I have to iron my skirt. *iron |
|
Wǒ de qúnzi dé yùnle. |
| The washing – machine seems to have broken down again . |
|
Zhè tái xǐyījī hǎoxiàng yòu chū gùzhàngle |
| Wash the clothing in the washing machine again |
|
zàicì yòng xǐyījī xǐdí yīwù |
| Put the dirty clothes in the washing machine |
|
bǎ zàng yīfú fàng jìn xǐyījī lǐ. |
| You can’t wash this shirt in the washing machine, or else it will shrink. |
|
Zhè jiàn chènshān bùnéng fàng zài xǐyījī lǐ xǐ, yào bùrán tā huì suōshuǐ de. |
| Put them in the washing machine. |
|
Bǎ tāmen fàng dào xǐyījī lǐ. |
| I put my laundry in the washing machine. |
|
Wǒ bǎ yīwù fàng jìn xǐyījī. |
| The clothes dryer makes a funny noise. |
|
Gàn yī jī fāchū qíguài de záyīn. |
| I’m folding the clothes, |
|
Wǒ zài dié yīfú |
| Pick up your socks and put them in the laundry basket. |
|
bǎ nǐ de wàzi jiǎn qǐlái fàng dào xǐyī lán lǐ qù. |
| You should handwash these clothes |
|
Nǐ yīnggāi shǒuxǐ zhèxiē yīfú |
| The clothes on the clothes line are mine |
|
zài liàng yī shéng shàng dì nàxiē yīfú shì wǒ de |
| My clothes are on the clothes line. |
|
wǒ de yīfú zài liàng yī shéng shàng. |
| His shirt is on the clothes line. |
|
Tā de chènshān guà zài shài yī shéng shàng. |
| There is a coat and three shirts on the clothes line. |
|
Liàng yīfú shéng shàng yǒuyī jiàn wàitào hé sān jiàn chènshān. |
| Your dress is on the clothes line. |
|
Nǐ de liányīqún zài liáng yīfú de shéngzi shàng. |
| He hung up the shirt with two clothes pegs. |
|
Tā yòng liǎng zhī yī jiā guà shàng chènshān. |