清 means “pure, clean, clear”

せい · sei

Also: purify, cleanse, exorcise

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

きよい, きよまる, きよめる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

セイ, ショウ, シン

JLPT N2 · Taught in grade 4 · 11 strokes

The story

Water (氵) so clear it shows blue (青): a spring you could drink from. 清 is clean and pure: 清潔 is hygienic, and Kyoto's 清水寺, Kiyomizu-dera, is named for the pure spring water of its Otowa waterfall.

Used in 清潔 (seiketsu, clean/hygienic), 清掃 (seisou, cleaning), and 清い (kiyoi, pure/clear)

More from Hard & Soft

• 固 harden
• 豊 abundant
• 巨 giant
• 荒 rough
• 硬 hard
• 柔 soft
• 軟 soft
• 鋭 sharp
• 鈍 dull

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.