清楚

Chinese

clear; distinct; complete
clear; distinct; complete; pure
 
distinct; clear; orderly
distinct; clear; orderly; pain; suffering; ancient place name; surname
 
trad. (清楚)
simp. #(清楚)

Etymology

(pure; innocent): Orthographic borrowing from Japanese (せい)() (seiso)

Pronunciation


Adjective

清楚

  1. clear; lucid
  2. clear (about a matter); unambiguous
  3. plain; distinct; obvious
  4. (obsolete or Eastern Min) tidy; neat; refined
  5. (ACG, neologism, of a person) pure; innocent

Usage notes

  • Used often in a figurative sense (e.g. to be clear on a matter), rather than in a literal sense. For the literal clear (e.g. clear water), see 清澈 (qīngchè).

Synonyms

Antonyms

Adverb

清楚

  1. clearly
    清楚清楚  ―  tīng bù qīngchǔ  ―  unable to hear clearly
    學習漢語發音一定清楚調類 [Taiwanese Mandarin, trad.]
    学习汉语发音一定清楚调类 [Taiwanese Mandarin, simp.]
    Xuéxí hànyǔ fāyīn yīdìng yào fēn qīngchǔ diàolèi. [Pinyin]
    It is essential to distinguish different tones when studying Chinese.
    既然你們已經清楚尊敬你們意願 [MSC, trad.]
    既然你们已经清楚尊敬你们意愿 [MSC, simp.]
    Jìrán nǐmen dōu yǐjīng xiǎng qīngchu le, nà wǒ zūnjìng nǐmen de yìyuàn. [Pinyin]
    Considering you have all thought it through, I will respect your wishes.
    了解全面講述清楚 [MSC, trad.]
    了解全面讲述清楚 [MSC, simp.]
    Nǐ liǎojiě de hěn quánmiàn, jiǎngshù de yě hěn qīngchǔ. [Pinyin]
    You have a comprehensive understanding and can explain it clearly.
  2. until a matter is clear (making sense, unambiguous, etc.)
    清楚清楚  ―  shuōqīngchǔ  ―  to make something clear

Verb

清楚

  1. to understand; to know; to comprehend
    一個什麼樣清楚 [MSC, trad.]
    一个什么样清楚 [MSC, simp.]
    Nǐ shì yīge shénmeyàng de rén, wǒ bǐ shéi dōu qīngchu. [Pinyin]
    I know better than anyone else what kind of person you are.
    道理應該清楚 [MSC, trad.]
    道理应该清楚 [MSC, simp.]
    Zhè jù huà de dàolǐ nǐ yīnggāi qīngchǔ. [Pinyin]
    You should understand the principle contained in this sentence.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (清楚):
  • Japanese: (せい)() (seiso)
  • Korean: 청초(淸楚) (cheongcho)

Further reading

Japanese

Kanji in this term
せい
Grade: 4

Jinmeiyō
on'yomi
Alternative spelling
淸楚 (kyūjitai)

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) ーそ [séꜜèsò] (Atamadaka – [1])
  • IPA(key): [se̞ːso̞]

Adjective

(せい)() • (seiso-na (adnominal (せい)() (seiso na), adverbial (せい)() (seiso ni))

  1. neat, clean
  2. tidy, trim

Inflection

Inflection of 清楚
Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形) 清楚だろ せいそだろ seiso daro
Continuative (連用形) 清楚で せいそで seiso de
Terminal (終止形) 清楚だ せいそだ seiso da
Attributive (連体形) 清楚な せいそな seiso na
Hypothetical (仮定形) 清楚なら せいそなら seiso nara
Imperative (命令形) 清楚であれ せいそであれ seiso de are
Key constructions
Informal negative 清楚ではない
清楚じゃない
せいそではない
せいそじゃない
seiso de wa nai
seiso ja nai
Informal past 清楚だった せいそだった seiso datta
Informal negative past 清楚ではなかった
清楚じゃなかった
せいそではなかった
せいそじゃなかった
seiso de wa nakatta
seiso ja nakatta
Formal 清楚です せいそです seiso desu
Formal negative 清楚ではありません
清楚じゃありません
せいそではありません
せいそじゃありません
seiso de wa arimasen
seiso ja arimasen
Formal past 清楚でした せいそでした seiso deshita
Formal negative past 清楚ではありませんでした
清楚じゃありませんでした
せいそではありませんでした
せいそじゃありませんでした
seiso de wa arimasen deshita
seiso ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive 清楚で せいそで seiso de
Conditional 清楚なら(ば) せいそなら(ば) seiso nara (ba)
Provisional 清楚だったら せいそだったら seiso dattara
Volitional 清楚だろう せいそだろう seiso darō
Adverbial 清楚に せいそに seiso ni
Degree 清楚さ せいそさ seisosa

Noun

(せい)() • (seiso

  1. neatness, cleanliness
  2. tidiness

Descendants

References