About
The character for "clean" or "pure" traditionally appears as "潔", a form that structurally combines the water radical on the left, indicating a relationship to washing or liquid clarity, with the component "絜" on the right, which historically served as a phonetic marker while concurrently evoking ideas of neatness and binding order. Its meaning, centered on both physical cleanliness and moral integrity, has persisted with little alteration through literary and common usage over time. The contemporary simplified form "洁" retains the water radical but substitutes the right-hand element with "吉", a character meaning auspicious or lucky, which introduces a new phonetic approximation and imbues the character with an additional layer of positive connotation, yet without displacing the essential sense of purity that has always defined it.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这里的水很洁净。
妈妈把厨房打扫清洁了。
他的房间总是很整洁。
她是一个纯洁的女孩。
洁白的月光洒在地上。
廉洁的政府受到人民尊敬。
她的洁癖有时让人受不了。
保持个人清洁是良好的习惯。