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沖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沖chōngwash, rinse, flush; dash; soarzg, 7 strokes, radical 氵
chōng(chong1) T1
  1. 1wash, rinse, flush; dash; soar
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

沖chōng(chong1)

The character 沖 (chōng) primarily means to wash, rinse, or flush something. It can also imply a forceful or swift movement, such as dashing or soaring. In everyday contexts, it is commonly used in relation to cleaning or washing items with water.

Strokes7Radical氵
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and washing or rinsing is often associated with rituals of purification. The act of using water to cleanse items, especially in households, reflects a deep cultural emphasis on hygiene.

Memory Tip

Think of 沖 (chōng) as a rushing river (the water radical 氵) that washes away dirt and debris. Imagine a strong current dashing down a river, representing the forceful motion of 'to dash' or 'to soar.' The sound 'chōng' can be remembered as 'charging through the water.'

Meanings of 沖

chōng(chong1)
1wash, rinse, flush; dash; soar
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 沖

沖Simplified
7Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 沖

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Podcast: 沖

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 沖

Quick Contrast

冲 (chōng) vs 洗 (xǐ): use 沖 (chōng) when emphasizing a forceful or swift action, while 洗 (xǐ) focuses on the act of washing itself.

Usage Notes

Be cautious of the tone when pronouncing chōng; it is the first tone, which is high and level. Common collocations include 沖水 (chōng shuǐ, to rinse with water) and 沖洗 (chōng xǐ, to wash thoroughly). It is generally used in informal contexts but can be applied in more formal situations when discussing cleaning processes.

HSK Study Tips

沖 (chōng) is not included in the HSK levels, but it connects with other water-related terms at lower levels. Students should focus on its various meanings and practice using it in sentences related to daily cleaning or washing activities.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 沖 with similar-sounding words. For example, using 沖 instead of 冲 (chōng, also meaning to rush) can change the intended meaning. Always double-check the context to ensure the correct usage.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沖

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Etymology of 沖

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 冫 represents the meaning and 中 represents the sound. Simplified form of 衝.

Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)中
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 沖

Phonosemantic compound. 冫 represents the meaning and 中 represents the sound. Simplified form of 衝.

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half中 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 沖? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 沖?

Decomposition of 沖

IDS Structure⿰氵中
沖Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
中Zhong1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 沖?

How to say wash, rinse, flush; dash; soar in Chinese

“wash, rinse, flush; dash; soar” in Chinese is沖chōng

The character 沖 (chōng) primarily means to wash, rinse, or flush something. It can also imply a forceful or swift movement, such as dashing or soaring. In everyday contexts, it is commonly used in relation to cleaning or washing items with water.

When to use 沖

Be cautious of the tone when pronouncing chōng; it is the first tone, which is high and level. Common collocations include 沖水 (chōng shuǐ, to rinse with water) and 沖洗 (chōng xǐ, to wash thoroughly). It is generally used in informal contexts but can be applied in more formal situations when discussing cleaning processes.

沖 or something close to it

冲 (chōng) vs 洗 (xǐ): use 沖 (chōng) when emphasizing a forceful or swift action, while 洗 (xǐ) focuses on the act of washing itself.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 沖 with similar-sounding words. For example, using 沖 instead of 冲 (chōng, also meaning to rush) can change the intended meaning. Always double-check the context to ensure the correct usage.

Write 沖

沖

Practice writing 沖 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 沖

Words Containing This Character20
冲chōngto infuse沖
冲突chōngtūconflict衝突
冲动chōngdòngto have an urge衝動
冲击chōngjīto attack衝擊
冲浪chōnglàngto surf衝浪
冲洗chōngxǐto rinse沖洗
脉冲pulse (physics)脈衝
冲刺chōngcìto sprint衝刺
冲进to rush in衝進
冲出to rush out衝出
冲破breakthrough衝破
缓冲buffer緩衝
冲天to soar沖天
冲锋to charge衝鋒
冲击力force of impact or thrust衝擊力
冲撞chōngzhuàngto collide衝撞
冲击波shock wave衝擊波
冲向to charge into衝嚮
冲锋枪submachine gun衝鋒槍
冲绳Okinawa, Japan沖繩
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 冲 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 沖

沖 is often used to refer to washing or rinsing something, like dishes or clothes.

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