清潔

• Reading: せいけつ
• Romaji: seiketsu
• Kanji breakdown: 清 (sei) — pure, clean; 潔 (ketsu) — clean, pure
• Pronunciation: /seː.ke.tsɯ/

Meaning

Clean; hygienic; sanitary. Free from dirt or contamination.

A na-adjective (清潔な) used for both physical cleanliness and moral purity. Common in health, food service, and daily hygiene contexts. 清潔感 (seiketsu-kan, a sense of cleanliness) is an important concept in Japanese social life, especially regarding personal appearance.

Examples

1. レストランのキッチンは清潔に保たなければならない。 A restaurant kitchen must be kept sanitary.
2. 清潔な服装で面接に臨んだ。 I went to the interview wearing clean clothes.
3. 手を清潔にすることが風邪の予防になる。 Keeping your hands clean helps prevent colds.

Usage Guide

Context: hygiene, health, appearance

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Compound of 清 (sei, pure/clean) and 潔 (ketsu, clean/pure). Both characters relate to purity, creating an emphatic sense of cleanliness.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal