擦 (cā) · to wipe

擦 (cā) means “to wipe”. It is made of 扌 + 察 and has 17 strokes, and is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

Break 擦 into its parts

What 擦 is made of

• 扌 shǒu — hand
  • 二 — two strokes
    • 一 — horizontal stroke
    • 一 — horizontal stroke
  • 亅 — hook
• 察 chá — to examine
  • 宀 — roof
    • 丶 — dot
    • 冖 mì — cover
  • 祭 jì — to sacrifice to
    • ⺼ — meat
    • 寸 cùn — inch
    • 示 shì — altar

Origin hint: 扌 gives the meaning, 察 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

擦 stroke order

Example sentences

Words with 擦

• 摩擦mócāfriction

Also built with 扌

• 举jǔto raise
• 我wǒI
• 才cáitalent
• 扎zhāto prick
• 扑pūto pounce on
• 扒bāto hold on to
• 打dǎto play (ball)
• 扔rēngto throw
• 托tuōto raise
• 扛kángto carry on the shoulder
• 扣kòuto fasten
• 执zhíto execute

Quick facts

Questions about 擦