Cleaning is the work of making a house, office, or other place clean — dusting, washing, vacuuming, mopping. It can be the activity (“I hate cleaning”) or the job (“She does office cleaning in the evenings”).

Cleaning清潔／打掃 is the work of making a house, office, or other place clean就是把房子、辦公室或其他地方弄乾淨的工作 — dusting, washing, vacuuming, mopping像是撢灰塵、洗、吸塵、拖地。It can be the activity它可以指這個活動 (“I hate cleaning”「我討厭打掃」) or the job或指這份工作 (“She does office cleaning in the evenings”「她晚上做辦公室清潔的工作」)。

Shops sell cleaning products; firms sell cleaning services. It is a very ordinary word, usually uncountable, for that process.

Shops sell cleaning products店家賣清潔用品; firms sell cleaning services公司賣清潔服務。It is a very ordinary word這是個很普通的字, usually uncountable通常是不可數名詞, for that process用來指這個過程。

Though actually, a cleaning can also mean one session of the work (“Give the oven a good cleaning”), and a nurse may talk about cleaning a wound — not tidying a room, but clearing it carefully.

Though actually不過其實, a cleaning can also mean one session of the workcleaning也可以指一次的打掃 (“Give the oven a good cleaning”「把烤箱好好清一清」), and a nurse may talk about cleaning a wound護理師也可能說清理傷口 — not tidying a room不是整理房間, but clearing it carefully而是仔細把它清乾淨。

For learners, the house-and-office sense is the one you will meet first and most.

For learners對學習者來說, the house-and-office sense是這個「打掃房子、辦公室」的意思 is the one you will meet first and most你會最先、最常遇到的用法。