洗濯
せんたく
sentaku
= laundry; washing
洗濯 (sentaku) means doing the laundry — washing clothes, towels, and linens. What makes this word stand out is that it shares its exact pronunciation with 選択 (sentaku), meaning ‘choice’ or ‘selection,’ making context everything when you hear it spoken aloud.
洗濯 refers to the act of washing clothes and fabric items, covering everything from a quick hand-wash to a full machine cycle. As a suru-verb, it forms 洗濯する (sentaku suru) — ‘to do the laundry.’ Key compounds include 洗濯機 (sentakuki, washing machine), 洗濯物 (sentakumono, laundry items/the washing), and 洗濯板 (sentakuita, washboard). In casual speech you might hear 洗濯物を干す (hang the laundry) or 洗濯が溜まっている (the laundry has piled up). Because 洗濯 and 選択 (choice) are homophones, written kanji — or surrounding context — is the only way to tell them apart in conversation.
The homophone trap: 洗濯 (laundry) and 選択 (choice) are identical in pronunciation — せんたく — but written with completely different kanji. Learners reading Japanese text can distinguish them instantly, but in speech, context is the only guide: 洗濯機 clearly points to laundry, while 選択肢 (sentakushi, options) points to choice. Also note 洗濯物 (sentakumono) refers to the actual items being washed or drying, not the act itself — so 洗濯物が多い means ‘there’s a lot of washing,’ not ‘I do a lot of laundry.’
洗 (あらう, wash) combines the water radical 氵 with 先 (ahead/tip), evoking rinsing something clean from the end. 濯 (すすぐ, rinse) also carries the water radical 氵 alongside 翟 (a long-tailed bird), originally suggesting the movement of water. Together, 洗濯 layers two characters that both mean ‘to cleanse with water,’ reinforcing the thoroughness of washing fabric.
Everyday use
今日は晴れているから、洗濯をしようと思う。
Kyō wa harete iru kara, sentaku o shiyō to omou.
It’s sunny today, so I think I’ll do the laundry.
Casual / Social Media
梅雨で洗濯物が全然乾かない。本当に困る。
Tsuyu de sentakumono ga zenzen kawakanaī. Hontō ni komaru.
The laundry just won’t dry at all during rainy season. It’s such a pain.
Formal / Cultural context
コインランドリーに大きな布団を持ち込んで洗濯した。
Koin randorī ni ōkina futon o mochikonde sentaku shita.
I brought the large futon to a coin laundry and washed it there.
Hanging laundry outdoors — 外干し (sotoboshi) — is a deeply ingrained part of daily life in Japan. Balconies in apartment buildings are designed with drying poles (物干し竿, monohoshi-zao) built in, and on a clear day it is common to see rows of shirts, towels, and school uniforms airing outside. Futons in particular are regularly hung over balcony railings to air out and absorb sunlight, a practice seen as essential for keeping bedding fresh and free of moisture.
The rainy season, 梅雨 (tsuyu), which runs roughly from early June to mid-July in most of Japan, turns 洗濯 into a logistical challenge. With days of continuous rain and high humidity, outdoor drying becomes nearly impossible, and many households rely on indoor drying racks, dehumidifiers, or coin laundries (コインランドリー) for large items like futons and blankets. Complaining about 洗濯物が乾かない (‘the laundry won’t dry’) is a very relatable tsuyu-season sentiment.
Because 洗濯 and 選択 share the same sound, spoken Japanese sometimes creates moments of deliberate or accidental wordplay. A phrase like 今日の洗濯は大変だ can be heard as ‘today’s laundry is tough’ or, jokingly, ‘today’s choices are tough’ depending on tone and topic. This kind of homophone ambiguity is a recurring feature of Japanese conversation that learners quickly discover once they leave the classroom.