and the outside of the first pipette 28 is washed by the flow of the sheath fluid generated at this time the valves 192 and 194 are then closed 9 next the valve 193 is opened and the sheath fluid inside the receptacle 184 is drained into the drainage chamber 195 the valve 193 is then closed the syringe pump 132 and valves 103 and 104 shown in fig1 operate during the above described analysis sample preparation process 21 that is the valve 104 is opened and a staining solution is once suctioned from the stain container 112 by the syringe pump 132 the valve 104 is then closed and the valve 103 is opened and a predetermined amount of the suctioned staining solution is discharged from the second pipette 29 by the syringe pump 132 furthermore the valve 103 is then closed and the syringe pump 132 operates reciprocally so as to perform the suction and discharge operations to the second pipette 29 this sample analyzer improves the washing capability without reducing the processing capability of the apparatus without increasing the amount of washing solution used and without enlarging the apparatus although the embodiment described above is constructed so that a sample suctioned from a sample container held by a first holder 68 is discharged into a mixing container held by a second holder 86 the present invention is not limited to this arrangement inasmuch as various structures may be used such as suctioning a sample from a sample container positioned at another location and discharging this sample to a mixing container held by the first holder 68 and the like sample suctioned from the.