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つまみ洗い (つまみあらい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

つまみ洗あらい

つ

ま

み

あ

ら

い

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

spot washing; washing only the soiled part

Refers to the act of washing only a dirty spot on a garment, rather than the whole item. Often used in laundry contexts.

襟えりの汚よごれだけをつまみ洗あらいした。
I spot-washed only the dirt on the collar.
このセーターはつまみ洗あらいで十じゅう分ぶんきれいになる。
This sweater will come clean enough with just spot washing.

Written forms

つまみ洗あらいUsage100%
Standard kana-kanji mixed spelling; the most common written form.
撮つまみ洗あらい
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form using 撮; not commonly encountered.
摘つまみ洗あらい
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form using 摘; not commonly encountered.

Kanji

洗wash, inquire into, probe
撮snapshot, take pictures
摘pinch, pick, pluck

Similar words

部ぶ分ぶん洗あらい
部分洗い also means washing only a part, but is a more general term. つまみ洗い specifically implies pinching or holding the soiled area and washing it by hand, often with a small amount of water.
手て洗あらい
手洗い means hand-washing the entire garment, whereas つまみ洗い focuses on a small, soiled spot.

Etymology

Compound of つまみ (pinching) and 洗い (washing), literally 'pinch-washing'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term clearly describes the action of pinching a small area of fabric to wash it.