gānxǐ: 干洗 - Dry Cleaning, To Dry Clean

• Keywords: gānxǐ, 干洗, dry cleaning in Chinese, how to say dry clean in Chinese, gānxǐdiàn, 干洗店, laundry services in China, Chinese laundromat, clothing care in China.
• Summary: 干洗 (gānxǐ) is the essential Mandarin Chinese term for dry cleaning. A literal combination of “dry” (干) and “wash” (洗), it refers to the process of cleaning clothes with chemical solvents instead of water. Whether you're living in or traveling to China, knowing this term is crucial for using local laundry services, especially for delicate items like suits or wool coats. You'll commonly see it on signs for a 干洗店 (gānxǐdiàn), which is a dry cleaner's shop.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gānxǐ
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To clean clothes with chemical solvents; the service of dry cleaning.
• In a Nutshell: Gānxǐ is a straightforward and practical term. It's not abstract or metaphorical. It is the direct equivalent of the English “dry clean” or “dry cleaning.” You use it when talking about the specific action of dry cleaning a garment or the service itself.

• 干 (gān): This character's primary meaning here is “dry” or “dried.” It can also mean “to concern” or “to do,” but in this context, it clearly means “dry.”
• 洗 (xǐ): This character means “to wash.” The three-dot radical on the left (氵) is the water radical, strongly indicating the concept of washing or cleaning with liquid.
• Combined Meaning: The two characters form a perfectly logical and transparent word: 干 (gān) + 洗 (xǐ) = “dry wash,” which is exactly what dry cleaning is—a method of washing without water.

While “dry cleaning” is a modern universal service, its prevalence in China has its own cultural context. The rise of 干洗店 (gānxǐdiàn), or dry cleaner shops, in Chinese cities mirrors the country's economic development and the growth of a middle class with more disposable income and a greater number of “white-collar” jobs requiring formal wear like suits. In the West, dry cleaning is a standard, often unremarkable, errand. In modern China, it's a symbol of urban life and professionalism. Taking a suit (西装, xīzhuāng) or an expensive overcoat (大衣, dàyī) to be dry-cleaned is a common practice for office workers. Unlike the often large, chain-based dry cleaners in the US, many Chinese 干洗店 are small, family-run businesses, though larger chains are becoming more common. Furthermore, with the ubiquity of apps like Meituan and Ele.me, on-demand pickup and delivery for dry cleaning services are far more common and integrated into daily life than in many Western countries.

干洗 (gānxǐ) is used in everyday situations related to laundry and clothing care.

• As a Verb: You use it to describe the action of having something dry-cleaned. For example, “I need to dry clean this sweater.” (这件毛衣我需要干洗。)
• As a Noun: It can refer to the service itself. For example, “How much is the dry cleaning?” (干洗多少钱？)
• At the Dry Cleaner's (干洗店 - gānxǐdiàn): This is the most common place you'll use the term. You'll use it to drop off clothes, ask about prices, and inquire about specific stains or materials.
• On Clothing Tags: Care labels on clothing will use 干洗 to indicate “Dry Clean Only,” often contrasted with 水洗 (shuǐxǐ), “water wash.”

The term is neutral and has no specific formal or informal connotations. It's a standard, functional word.

• Example 1:
  • 这件大衣需要干洗，不能水洗。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn dàyī xūyào gānxǐ, bù néng shuǐxǐ.
  • English: This overcoat needs to be dry-cleaned; it can't be washed with water.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence, highlighting the crucial distinction between 干洗 (gānxǐ) and its opposite, 水洗 (shuǐxǐ).
• Example 2:
  • 师傅，请问干洗一条裤子多少钱？
  • Pinyin: Shīfu, qǐngwèn gānxǐ yì tiáo kùzi duōshao qián?
  • English: Sir, how much does it cost to dry-clean a pair of pants?
  • Analysis: This is a typical question you would ask at a dry cleaner's shop (干洗店). Using “师傅 (shīfu)” is a polite way to address a service worker or skilled craftsman.
• Example 3:
  • 我的西装上有个咖啡渍，能干洗掉吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de xīzhuāng shàng yǒu ge kāfēi zì, néng gānxǐ diào ma?
  • English: There's a coffee stain on my suit. Can it be removed by dry cleaning?
  • Analysis: Here, 干洗 is used as a method to solve a problem (removing a stain). The “掉 (diào)” is a resultative complement, indicating removal.
• Example 4:
  • 附近有没有好一点的干洗店？
  • Pinyin: Fùjìn yǒu méiyǒu hǎo yìdiǎn de gānxǐdiàn?
  • English: Is there a decent dry cleaner's shop nearby?
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the very important compound word 干洗店 (gānxǐdiàn). This is often more common in conversation than just “干洗” when referring to the establishment.
• Example 5:
  • 这件衬衫什么时候能干洗好？
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn chènshān shénme shíhou néng gānxǐ hǎo?
  • English: When will this shirt be ready (from the dry cleaning)?
  • Analysis: The character “好 (hǎo)” acts as a resultative complement, meaning the action of “干洗” is completed successfully.
• Example 6:
  • 别忘了去干洗店取你妈妈的裙子。
  • Pinyin: Bié wàng le qù gānxǐdiàn qǔ nǐ māma de qúnzi.
  • English: Don't forget to go to the dry cleaner's to pick up your mom's dress.
  • Analysis: This shows a complete errand cycle: going to the 干洗店 (gānxǐdiàn) to “取 (qǔ)” or pick up the clothes.
• Example 7:
  • 这家店的干洗服务又快又好。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn de gānxǐ fúwù yòu kuài yòu hǎo.
  • English: The dry cleaning service at this shop is both fast and good.
  • Analysis: Here, 干洗 is used as a noun, modifying “服务 (fúwù)” to mean “dry cleaning service.”
• Example 8:
  • 这条真丝围巾只能干洗。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tiáo zhēnsī wéijīn zhǐ néng gānxǐ.
  • English: This silk scarf can only be dry-cleaned.
  • Analysis: “只能 (zhǐ néng)” means “can only,” often used when reading care instructions on delicate items.
• Example 9:
  • 换季了，我得把所有的毛衣都拿去干洗一下。
  • Pinyin: Huànjì le, wǒ děi bǎ suǒyǒu de máoyī dōu ná qù gānxǐ yíxià.
  • English: The seasons are changing, I have to take all my sweaters to be dry-cleaned.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows cultural practice. It's common in China to do a big cleaning of seasonal clothes before storing them. “一下 (yíxià)” softens the verb, making it sound more casual.
• Example 10:
  • 他们的干洗价格很合理。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de gānxǐ jiàgé hěn hélǐ.
  • English: Their dry cleaning prices are very reasonable.
  • Analysis: 干洗 is used here as a noun concept to describe the “prices” (价格).

• 干洗 (gānxǐ) vs. 水洗 (shuǐxǐ): This is the most critical distinction. They are opposites. 干洗 is dry cleaning; 水洗 (shuǐxǐ) is “water wash,” or regular machine/hand washing. Mixing them up could ruin your clothes. Always check the care label!
  • Correct: 这件衣服要干洗。 (This clothing needs dry cleaning.)
  • Incorrect Usage: 我要干洗我的T恤和袜子。 (I want to dry clean my t-shirts and socks.) - While grammatically correct, it's contextually wrong. These items are almost always water-washed (水洗).
• 干 (gān) vs. 干净 (gānjìng): A common beginner mistake is to confuse 干 (gān - dry) with 干净 (gānjìng - clean). 干洗 means “dry wash,” referring to the method, not “clean wash.” The goal is to make the clothes 干净, but the word itself doesn't mean “clean.”
  • Correct: 我把衣服洗干净了。(I washed the clothes clean.)
  • Incorrect: 我把衣服干了。(This just means “I dried the clothes,” not “I cleaned the clothes.”)
• 干洗店 (gānxǐdiàn) vs. 洗衣店 (xǐyīdiàn): A 干洗店 specifically emphasizes dry cleaning services. A 洗衣店 (xǐyīdiàn), or “laundry shop,” is a more general term. While most 干洗店 also offer regular laundry (水洗), a 洗衣店 might be a self-service laundromat with only washing machines. If you specifically need dry cleaning, looking for 干洗店 is your best bet.

• 水洗 (shuǐxǐ) - Water wash; laundry. The direct opposite of 干洗 in this context.
• 洗衣店 (xǐyīdiàn) - Laundry shop, laundromat. A broader term that can include a 干洗店.
• 熨烫 (yùntàng) - To iron, ironing. A service often offered along with dry cleaning.
• 污渍 (wūzì) - A stain. The reason you might need to seek out dry cleaning services.
• 取衣服 (qǔ yīfu) - To pick up clothes. What you do when your dry cleaning is ready.
• 西装 (xīzhuāng) - Suit. One of the most common articles of clothing that requires 干洗.
• 大衣 (dàyī) - Overcoat, coat. Another common item taken to the dry cleaner.
• 洗衣液 (xǐyīyè) - Liquid laundry detergent. Used for 水洗.
• 护理 (hùlǐ) - Care, maintenance. As in 衣物护理 (yīwù hùlǐ), “clothing care.”
• 标签 (biāoqiān) - Label, tag. As in the care label on clothing (护理标签) where you find the 干洗 symbol.