洗白 [xǐ bái] and 洗地 [xǐ dì]

洗白 [xǐ bái] v. Wash+white. <ACG Terminology> This term originally described the situation where an ostensibly negative character suddenly turned into a positive character. Now it means “[of people or organizations] to get rid of a bad reputation by disseminating positive but embellished stories about themselves.”

洗地 [xǐ dì] v. Wash+floor. This Internet slang term is from the 2004 movie “Kung Fu Hustle” where a Deadly Axe Gang leader asked the members to clean the blood on the floor after a gang fight. The term means to whitewash, to cover up or gloss over scandals, vices or crimes.

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