擦
Character learning workspace

cā · to clean, to erase, to polish

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 2.0 · Level 4HSK 3.0 · Level 4Frequency #1952
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Learn every stroke in 擦

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 擦 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

17Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Left-rightCharacter structure

Keep the left side compact and leave enough room for the right side.

扌Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 擦 writing sheet

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 擦

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

cāWords pronounced cā
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Example sentences

Notice where 擦 sits in each complete thought.

Yòng zhǐ jīn bǎ nà kǒu guō cā gān.用纸巾把那口锅擦干。

Wipe the pan dry with a paper towel.

Source: Tatoeba #8574653 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Xiàng pí cā diào dì shàng jiù hěn nán zhǎo dào le.橡皮擦掉地上就很难找到了。

It's hard to find an eraser that's on the floor.

Source: Tatoeba #10028095 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ yào tā cā liàng wǒ de pí xié.我要他擦亮我的皮鞋。

I got him to polish my shoes.

Source: Tatoeba #804543 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yòng zhǐ jīn bǎ píng dǐ guō cā gān.用纸巾把平底锅擦干。

Wipe the pan dry with a paper towel.

Source: Tatoeba #8574659 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Cā diào nǐ é tóu shàng de hàn.擦掉你额头上的汗。

Wipe the sweat from your brow.

Source: Tatoeba #2474903 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yòng nǐ de xiàng pí bǎ zhè xiē zì cā diào.用你的橡皮把這些字擦掉。

Rub out these words with your eraser.

Source: Tatoeba #821423 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 擦 in context

  1. Say cā, then recall the core meaning: to clean, to erase, to polish.
  2. Write all 17 strokes while keeping the left-right balanced.
  3. Use it in 摩擦 (mó cā), meaning “friction”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 擦 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.