shānchú: 删除 - To Delete, To Remove

• Keywords: shanchu, 删除, shānchú, how to say delete in Chinese, Chinese for delete, remove in Chinese, erase in Chinese, Chinese computer terms, delete file in Chinese, uninstall Chinese
• Summary: A comprehensive guide to the Chinese verb 删除 (shānchú), meaning “to delete” or “to remove.” This page explains its core meaning, character origins, and practical usage, especially in digital contexts like deleting files, text, or social media posts. Learn the difference between 删除, 去掉 (qùdiào), and 取消 (qǔxiāo) through clear examples and avoid common mistakes.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shānchú
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To delete, to remove, or to strike out, primarily in a digital or written context.
• In a Nutshell: `删除` is the direct equivalent of the “delete” or “trash” button on your computer or phone. It's a formal and unambiguous term used for getting rid of digital data like files, photos, emails, or text. While it can be used for non-digital things (like striking a name from a list), its home turf is the digital world. Think of it as a precise action of permanent removal.

• 删 (shān): This character is a combination of `册` (cè), which represents ancient bamboo slips tied together to form a book, and `刂` (dāo), the “knife” radical. Together, `删` vividly paints a picture of using a knife to scrape off or cut away sections from an ancient scroll or document. Its core meaning is to pare down, cut, or eliminate.
• 除 (chú): This character means to get rid of, to eliminate, or to remove. The radical `阝` (fù) relates to stairs or steps, and `余` (yú) means “surplus” or “extra.” So, `除` can be understood as the act of removing a surplus or taking steps to eliminate something.
• When combined, `删除 (shānchú)` literally means “to cut away and eliminate.” This creates a strong, formal verb that emphasizes complete and total removal, which is why it's a perfect fit for the digital action of deleting.

While `删除` is a modern, functional term, its widespread use reflects China's rapid and deep integration with technology. It has become a household word, understood by everyone from children to grandparents who use smartphones. Unlike the English “delete,” which can be used somewhat casually, `删除` retains a slightly more formal and definitive tone. You wouldn't typically use it for trivial, physical removals. For example, you would “remove” (`去掉`, qùdiào) a stain, not “delete” it. The most significant cultural context for `删除` is in the realm of social media and online information. The act of “deleting a post” (`删除帖子`, shānchú tiězi) or “having a post deleted” (`帖子被删除了`, tiězi bèi shānchúle) is a common experience in the Chinese internet landscape. This gives the word an additional layer of meaning related to censorship and information control, a topic of constant discussion among Chinese netizens. It's a neutral verb, but the context in which it's used can be highly charged.

`删除` is most frequently encountered in the following contexts:

• Digital Operations: This is its primary domain. It's the standard term on all Chinese-language software interfaces.
  • Deleting a file: `删除文件 (shānchú wénjiàn)`
  • Deleting a photo: `删除照片 (shānchú zhàopiàn)`
  • Deleting a contact: `删除联系人 (shānchú liánxìrén)`
  • Deleting an app: `删除应用 (shānchú yìngyòng)` (though `卸载 xièzài`, “to uninstall,” is more specific)
• Text and Content:
  • Deleting a word or sentence: `删除这个词 (shānchú zhège cí)`
  • Deleting a comment: `删除评论 (shānchú pínglùn)`
  • Deleting a social media post: `删除微博 (shānchú wēibó)`
• Formal/Written Contexts: It can refer to striking something from a list or record.
  • To remove a name from a list: `从名单中删除他的名字 (cóng míngdān zhōng shānchú tā de míngzì)`
• Formality: The term is neutral but leans formal. In casual conversation, people will use it when talking about their phones or computers, but for physical objects, other verbs like `扔掉 (rēngdiào)` (to throw away) or `去掉 (qùdiào)` (to get rid of) are more natural.

• Example 1:
  • 我不小心把重要的文件删除了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn bǎ zhòngyào de wénjiàn shānchú le.
  • English: I accidentally deleted an important file.
  • Analysis: A classic example of using `删除` in a digital context. The `把 (bǎ)` structure is common here to emphasize the action performed on the object (the file).
• Example 2:
  • 你可以帮我把这张不好看的照片删除吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ bǎ zhè zhāng bù hǎokàn de zhàopiàn shānchú ma?
  • English: Can you help me delete this unflattering photo?
  • Analysis: A common request in the age of smartphones. Again, the `把 (bǎ)` structure is used.
• Example 3:
  • 系统提示：文件将被永久删除，确定吗？
  • Pinyin: Xìtǒng tíshì: Wénjiàn jiāng bèi yǒngjiǔ shānchú, quèdìng ma?
  • English: System prompt: The file will be permanently deleted. Are you sure?
  • Analysis: This shows how `删除` is used in software interfaces. `被 (bèi)` indicates the passive voice (“will be deleted”).
• Example 4:
  • 他因为发表了不当评论，被管理员删除了帖子。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi fābiǎole bùdàng pínglùn, bèi guǎnlǐyuán shānchú le tiězi.
  • English: Because he posted an inappropriate comment, the administrator deleted his post.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the social media context. The structure is “[Person] was [actioned] by [agent].”
• Example 5:
  • 如果你删除了这个段落，整个文章的逻辑就不通了。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ shānchú le zhège duànluò, zhěnggè wénzhāng de luójí jiù bù tōng le.
  • English: If you delete this paragraph, the logic of the whole article will fall apart.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates using `删除` for editing text within a document.
• Example 6:
  • 请不要删除我的留言！
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bùyào shānchú wǒ de liúyán!
  • English: Please don't delete my comment!
  • Analysis: A simple imperative sentence using `不要 (bùyào)` to mean “don't.”
• Example 7:
  • 我决定删除我的社交媒体账号。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juédìng shānchú wǒ de shèjiāo méitǐ zhànghào.
  • English: I've decided to delete my social media account.
  • Analysis: Note that for accounts, `注销 (zhùxiāo)` is often more precise, but `删除` is widely understood in this context.
• Example 8:
  • 这个软件很难用，我要把它删除。
  • Pinyin: Zhège ruǎnjiàn hěn nán yòng, wǒ yào bǎ tā shānchú.
  • English: This software is hard to use, I'm going to delete it.
  • Analysis: While `卸载 (xièzài)` means “uninstall,” in colloquial speech, `删除` is frequently used for apps and software.
• Example 9:
  • 人力资源部需要从工资单上删除已离职员工的名字。
  • Pinyin: Rénlì zīyuán bù xūyào cóng gōngzīdān shàng shānchú yǐ lízhí yuángōng de míngzì.
  • English: The HR department needs to remove the names of former employees from the payroll.
  • Analysis: This is a more formal, non-digital example, referring to removing entries from a list or record.
• Example 10:
  • 你删除的所有文件都可以在回收站里找到。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shānchú de suǒyǒu wénjiàn dōu kěyǐ zài huíshōuzhàn lǐ zhǎodào.
  • English: All the files you deleted can be found in the recycling bin.
  • Analysis: A useful sentence for anyone using a Chinese operating system. `回收站 (huíshōuzhàn)` is “recycling bin.”

• `删除` vs. `去掉` (qùdiào): This is a critical distinction.
  • `删除` is for data, text, files, and abstract entries on a list. It implies removal from a system.
  • `去掉` (qùdiào) means “to get rid of” or “remove” and is used for physical objects, parts of a whole, or abstract concepts.
  • Incorrect: `请删除我衣服上的污渍。` (Please delete the stain on my clothes.)
  • Correct: `请去掉我衣服上的污渍。` (Please remove the stain on my clothes.)
• `删除` vs. `取消` (qǔxiāo): These are not interchangeable.
  • `删除` removes existing content or data.
  • `取消` (qǔxiāo) is used to “cancel” a future event, an order, a subscription, or an action.
  • Incorrect: `我想删除明天的会议。` (I want to delete tomorrow's meeting.)
  • Correct: `我想取消明天的会议。` (I want to cancel tomorrow's meeting.)
• `删除` vs. `卸载` (xièzài):
  • For software and apps, `卸载` is the technically correct term for “uninstall.” It implies a formal process of removing a program's files.
  • `删除` is often used colloquially to mean the same thing (like dragging an app to the trash), but `卸载` is more precise.

• 去掉 (qùdiào) - To get rid of, to remove. A more general term than `删除`, often used for physical things or abstract qualities.
• 取消 (qǔxiāo) - To cancel. Used for events, orders, reservations, and subscriptions. It's about stopping a planned action.
• 卸载 (xièzài) - To uninstall. The specific term for removing software or applications from a device.
• 注销 (zhùxiāo) - To deregister, to cancel an account. The most accurate term for closing an online account permanently.
• 擦掉 (cādiào) - To wipe away, to erase. Used for things you would remove with an eraser, cloth, or hand (e.g., writing on a whiteboard).
• 清空 (qīngkōng) - To empty, to clear out. Used for containers, both digital and physical (e.g., `清空回收站` - to empty the recycling bin).
• 销毁 (xiāohuǐ) - To destroy, to obliterate. A much stronger term implying complete destruction, often of physical documents or evidence.
• 格式化 (géshìhuà) - To format. The technical term for wiping a disk drive, which deletes all data on it.