掃(は)く

はく
verb (godan)
to sweep
1. to sweep
To clean a surface by brushing away dirt, dust, or debris with a broom.
毎朝(まいあさ)玄関(げんかん)を掃(は)く。
I sweep the entrance every morning.
落(お)ち葉(ば)を掃(は)いて集(あつ)めた。
I swept up and gathered the fallen leaves.
掃(は)いても掃(は)いても砂(すな)が入(はい)ってくる。
No matter how much I sweep, sand keeps coming in.

掃(は)く is a transitive verb (他動詞(たどうし)) specifically for sweeping with a broom.

ASPECT (ている):
掃(は)いている indicates sweeping is in progress.

PARTICLE PATTERNS:

  • [place]を掃(は)く — to sweep [place]
  • [debris]を掃(は)く — to sweep up [debris]

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 床(ゆか)を掃(は)く (sweep the floor)
  • 庭(にわ)を掃(は)く (sweep the garden)
  • 掃(は)き掃除(そうじ) (sweeping)
  • 掃(は)き出(だ)し窓(まど) (sliding glass door - opens to swept area)

DO NOT CONFUSE:

  • 掃(は)く (to sweep) — different from:
  • 履(は)く (to put on pants/shoes)
  • 吐(は)く (to vomit, exhale)

All three are read はく but have different kanji and meanings.

RELATED WORD:
箒(ほうき) (broom)

general
Added 2026.1.14 17:40 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
04000/04260_haku