清い・浄い|きよいkiyoi[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
清い清い is the more common written form; use it for the senses “clean,” “clear,” “pure,” and “honest.”
浄い浄い is a rarely used alternative written form; learners will seldom need to write it and should generally choose 清い instead.
Definitions
- i-adjectiveclean; clear
- i-adjectivepure; honest; clean; innocent; platonic; chaste
Conjugation
| Plain form | 清い（きよい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 清いです（きよいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 清くない（きよくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 清くありません（きよくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 清かった（きよかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 清くなかった（きよくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 清くて（きよくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 清く（きよく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 清ければ（きよければ） |
| kattara | 清かったら（きよかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym清潔せいけつNeutralClean in the hygienic sense — rooms, clothes, sanitation. 清い is about clear water and pure hearts, not hygiene.
- Synonym清浄せいじょうWrittenWritten/formal prose for purity, often Buddhist purity of mind or clean air. 清い is the more everyday of the two.
- SynonymきれいNeutralThe everyday neutral word for clean and pretty. 清い leans written and stresses purity and integrity rather than looks or tidiness.
- Synonym清らかきよらかWrittenWritten and elegant: clear and pure with a poetic feel, as in 「清らかな心」. Very close to 清い but more refined.
- SynonymクリーンNeutralLoanword for clean or corruption-free, as in 「クリーンな政治」. 清い sounds more traditional.
- Synonym潔白けっぱくWrittenWritten/formal prose for innocence of guilt, as in 「身の潔白」. 清い is broader.
- Synonym無垢むくWrittenWritten/formal prose for spotless purity; also a plain-coloured kimono. 清い is the more common word.
- Related純粋じゅんすいNeutralPure in the sense of unmixed, as in 「純粋な気持ち」. 清い stresses cleanness and clarity instead.
- Related初々しいういういしいNeutralYoung and unsophisticated, fresh and green — say, newlyweds. 清い is broader.
- Related純情じゅんじょうNeutralPure-hearted, naive in matters of love. 清い is broader.
- Related純真じゅんしんNeutralInnocent and unworldly in character. 清い stresses cleanness and integrity.
- Related無邪気むじゃきNeutralInnocent and free of malice, typically of children. 清い stresses cleanness.
- Related清純せいじゅんNeutralPure and innocent, often said of a young woman's image. 清い is broader.
- RelatedピュアNeutralLoanword for pure or pure-hearted. 清い is the more traditional, written choice.
- Related小奇麗こぎれいNeutralNeat and tidy, as in 「小奇麗な部屋」. 清い is about purity, not tidiness.
- Related身奇麗みぎれいNeutralDescribes a neat, well-groomed appearance — clothes and hair. 清い concerns purity of heart.
- Related純潔じゅんけつWrittenWritten/formal prose for chastity — being sexually untouched. 清い covers much more ground.
- Related小さっぱりしたこさっぱりしたNeutralNeat and trim in dress and appearance. 清い is about pure hearts and clear water.
- RelatedすれてないCasualColloquial: not yet hardened by the world, simple and green. 清い is more written.
- Related穢れのないけがれのないWrittenWritten phrase for unstained, spotlessly pure. 清い says it more concisely.
- RelatedイノセントNeutralLoanword for innocent — naive or guiltless. 清い is the more traditional, written choice.
- Antonym汚いきたないNeutralThe antonym on the clean–dirty axis: dirty, filthy.
- Antonym濁ったNeutralThe antonym on the clear–turbid axis: murky, cloudy water.
Use 「清い」 for clear water, pure hearts and innocent relationships. For everyday cleanliness say 「綺麗」, for hygienic cleanliness 「清潔」. In formal prose prefer 「清らか」 for clear, pure beauty. For innocence of guilt use 「潔白」. The rest are narrower: 「純粋」 unmixed, 「清純」 a young woman's purity, 「無邪気」 childlike innocence, 「クリーン」 corruption-free. Antonyms: 「濁った」 for murky water, 「汚い」 for dirty.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
