‘擦汗’ is a compound verb meaning ‘to wipe sweat’ — literally ‘wipe’ (擦) + ‘sweat’ (汗). It describes the physical action of removing sweat from the skin, typically using a towel, handkerchief, or clothing. The verb emphasizes the deliberate, often repeated motion of wiping, and is commonly used in contexts involving physical exertion, heat, or illness-induced sweating.

This word appears frequently in daily life: during exercise, after outdoor work in summer, or when someone feels overheated or unwell. Unlike more formal or medical terms like ‘排汗’ (to perspire) or ‘出汗’ (to sweat), ‘擦汗’ focuses on the external, visible act of cleaning sweat off the body — it’s neutral in register and appropriate for spoken and written Chinese across ages and settings.