cādiào: 擦掉 - To Erase, Wipe Off, Rub Out

• Keywords: cā diào, 擦掉, how to say erase in Chinese, wipe off in Chinese, rub out in Chinese, cā diào meaning, cā diào examples, Chinese resultative verb, Chinese grammar, delete in Chinese
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb compound 擦掉 (cā diào), which means “to erase” or “wipe off.” This page breaks down its meaning, from literally wiping a whiteboard clean to figuratively wiping away tears. Discover how the characters 擦 (to wipe) and 掉 (off/away) combine to form a powerful resultative verb, a core concept in Chinese grammar. With practical examples and cultural insights, you'll master how to use 擦掉 in everyday conversations.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cā diào
• Part of Speech: Verb (Resultative Complement)
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To remove something from a surface by wiping, rubbing, or erasing.
• In a Nutshell: 擦掉 (cā diào) is a two-part verb that describes both an action and its result. The first character, 擦 (cā), is the action of “wiping” or “rubbing.” The second character, 掉 (diào), is the result: “off” or “away.” Together, they create the complete meaning “to wipe something until it is gone.” It's the go-to term for erasing a pencil mark, wiping a spill off a table, or cleaning a whiteboard.

• 擦 (cā): This character is about the action of wiping. It's composed of the hand radical 扌(shǒu) on the left, indicating an action done with the hands, and 察 (chá) on the right, which primarily provides the phonetic sound. Think of it as “using your hand (扌) to rub.”
• 掉 (diào): This character means “to drop,” “to fall,” or, in this context, “off/away.” It also features the hand radical 扌(shǒu). When used as a resultative complement like it is here, it signifies that the action of the first verb has caused something to be removed or successfully completed.
• How they combine: The logic is simple and powerful: Action (擦 - to wipe) + Result (掉 - off) = To wipe off / To erase. This structure is fundamental in Chinese and allows for highly descriptive and efficient communication.

While 擦掉 (cā diào) is a common, practical term without deep philosophical baggage, its structure reveals a core aspect of the Chinese language: a focus on results. Chinese uses “resultative complements” like 掉 (diào) to specify the outcome of an action. This is different from English, which often uses phrasal verbs or separate adverbs (e.g., “wipe it off,” “rub it out”). For a learner, understanding this concept is a major breakthrough. Compare the Chinese structure to the English concept of phrasal verbs:

• Chinese: Verb + Result (e.g., 擦掉 cā diào - wipe-off)
• English: Verb + Preposition (e.g., wipe off)

The Chinese structure is often more concise and directly attaches the result to the verb itself. Mastering compounds like 擦掉 (cā diào), 找到 (zhǎodào) (to find-arrive), and 吃完 (chīwán) (to eat-finish) is key to moving from a beginner to an intermediate level, as it allows you to speak about completed actions naturally.

擦掉 (cā diào) is used constantly in daily life, in both literal and slightly more abstract ways. Its connotation is neutral and it is used in both formal and informal settings.

• In the Classroom/Office: This is one of the most common contexts. It's used for erasing whiteboards, chalkboards, or pencil marks.
• At Home: Used for cleaning and tidying up, such as wiping spills from a table, cleaning dirt off a window, or wiping a dusty surface.
• Personal Actions: It can be used for actions like wiping away tears or wiping food from one's mouth.
• Digital Context: While the more technical term for deleting files is 删除 (shānchú), 擦掉 (cā diào) can be used informally to mean deleting or erasing text within a document, similar to hitting the backspace key.

• Example 1:
  • 老师，请你把黑板上的字擦掉。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī, qǐng nǐ bǎ hēibǎn shàng de zì cā diào.
  • English: Teacher, please erase the words on the blackboard.
  • Analysis: A classic classroom request. This sentence uses the 把 (bǎ) structure, which brings the object (“the words”) before the verb, highlighting what is being acted upon.
• Example 2:
  • 我写错了，得用橡皮擦掉。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiě cuò le, děi yòng xiàngpí cā diào.
  • English: I wrote it wrong, I have to erase it with an eraser.
  • Analysis: This shows the direct use for correcting a mistake. 用 (yòng) means “to use,” indicating the tool for the action.
• Example 3:
  • 宝宝哭了，妈妈温柔地帮她擦掉了眼泪。
  • Pinyin: Bǎobao kū le, māma wēnróu de bāng tā cā diào le yǎnlèi.
  • English: The baby cried, and her mother gently helped her wipe away her tears.
  • Analysis: A more figurative, yet common, use. It shows care and gentleness. The 了 (le) at the end indicates a completed action.
• Example 4:
  • 你能帮我把桌子上的咖啡渍擦掉吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ bǎ zhuōzi shàng de kāfēi zì cā diào ma?
  • English: Can you help me wipe off the coffee stain on the table?
  • Analysis: A polite request for help with cleaning. Again, the 把 (bǎ) structure is very common with 擦掉.
• Example 5:
  • 这个段落我不想保留了，我要把它擦掉。
  • Pinyin: Zhège duànluò wǒ bùxiǎng bǎoliú le, wǒ yào bǎ tā cā diào.
  • English: I don't want to keep this paragraph anymore, I'm going to delete it.
  • Analysis: Here, 擦掉 is used in a digital or writing context, synonymous with “deleting” or “erasing” text.
• Example 6:
  • 小心！别把刚写的字擦掉了。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎoxīn! Bié bǎ gāng xiě de zì cā diào le.
  • English: Be careful! Don't smudge (erase) the characters you just wrote.
  • Analysis: A warning. 别 (bié) is used to say “don't.” This implies an accidental erasing or smudging.
• Example 7:
  • 他用袖子把嘴角的酱汁擦掉了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yòng xiùzi bǎ zuǐjiǎo de jiàngzhī cā diào le.
  • English: He used his sleeve to wipe the sauce from the corner of his mouth.
  • Analysis: This example vividly describes a specific action and the tool used (用袖子 - using a sleeve).
• Example 8:
  • 无论你怎么擦，这个永久性标记也擦不掉。
  • Pinyin: Wúlùn nǐ zěnme cā, zhège yǒngjiǔxìng biāojì yě cā bu diào.
  • English: No matter how you wipe it, you can't erase this permanent marker.
  • Analysis: This introduces the potential form 擦不掉 (cā bu diào), meaning “cannot be erased.” This is a crucial grammatical structure for expressing ability/inability.
• Example 9:
  • 窗户太脏了，我们把它擦掉，让阳光进来。
  • Pinyin: Chuānghu tài zāng le, wǒmen bǎ tā cā diào, ràng yángguāng jìnlái.
  • English: The window is too dirty, let's wipe it clean and let the sunshine in.
  • Analysis: In this context, 擦掉 implies wiping away the dirt, with the overall goal of making the window clean.
• Example 10:
  • 他试图擦掉自己过去的坏名声，但很难。
  • Pinyin: Tā shìtú cā diào zìjǐ guòqù de huài míngshēng, dàn hěn nán.
  • English: He tried to erase his bad reputation from the past, but it was very difficult.
  • Analysis: A purely metaphorical example. This usage is more literary but shows the versatility of the concept of “wiping away” something undesirable.

• `擦 (cā)` vs. `擦掉 (cā diào)`: This is the most common mistake for beginners.
  • `擦 (cā)` is only the action of wiping. `我擦了桌子 (Wǒ cā le zhuōzi)` means “I wiped the table,” but it doesn't confirm if the table is clean.
  • `擦掉 (cā diào)` includes the result. `我擦掉了桌子上的灰尘 (Wǒ cā diào le zhuōzi shàng de huīchén)` means “I wiped off the dust on the table,” confirming the dust is gone.
  • Incorrect: `我用橡皮擦我的错字。` (I use an eraser to wipe my wrong character.)
  • Correct: `我用橡皮擦掉我的错字。` (I use an eraser to erase my wrong character.)
• `擦掉 (cā diào)` vs. `删除 (shānchú)`: These can both mean “delete,” but the context is key.
  • `擦掉 (cā diào)` feels physical and is best for things you'd literally rub away: whiteboard text, pencil, spills, or text in a document.
  • `删除 (shānchú)` is the standard, more formal term for deleting digital items like files, folders, emails, or apps. You 删除 a photo from your phone, you don't 擦掉 it.
• `擦掉 (cā diào)` vs. `洗掉 (xǐ diào)`: The method is different.
  • `擦掉 (cā diào)` involves rubbing or wiping, usually with a dry or damp cloth.
  • `洗掉 (xǐ diào)` involves washing with a significant amount of liquid, like water and soap. You 擦掉 a spill on the floor, but you 洗掉 a ketchup stain from your shirt in the laundry.

• 擦 (cā) - The core action verb, “to wipe,” “to rub,” or “to polish.”
• 掉 (diào) - The result complement, meaning “off” or “away.” As a standalone verb, it means “to drop” or “to lose.”
• 删除 (shānchú) - A more formal synonym for “to delete,” used almost exclusively in digital or official contexts.
• 抹掉 (mǒ diào) - A very close synonym for “wipe away.” 抹 (mǒ) can sometimes imply a smearing or spreading motion, but in this compound, it's nearly interchangeable with 擦掉.
• 洗掉 (xǐ diào) - A related concept, meaning “to wash off” with liquid.
• 弄掉 (nòng diào) - A very general term meaning “to get something off” or “to remove,” without specifying the method.
• 橡皮 (xiàngpí) - A related noun: the tool used to 擦掉 pencil marks, an “eraser.”
• 抹布 (mābù) - A related noun: the tool used to 擦掉 spills or dust, a “rag” or “wiping cloth.”