清除 qīngchú to clear away
to clear away; to eliminate; to get rid of
How to remember 清除: 清 clear + 除 remove = to clear away.
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How it is used
- Means to clear away/eliminate completely - 清除障碍 (qīngchú zhàng'ài) to remove obstacles; 清除垃圾 (clear rubbish).
- Also figurative - 清除隐患 (eliminate hidden dangers); on devices, 清除缓存 (clear the cache).
- Contrast 删除 (shānchú, to delete a specific item/file); 清除 sweeps away a whole category thoroughly.