Kanji N2

清: pure, purify, cleanse

清 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning pure, purify, cleanse, written with 11 strokes. It is read セイ, ショウ, シン (on) and きよい, きよまる, きよめる (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 4. You will see it in 清掃 (せいそう, cleaning) and 清潔 (せいけつ, clean).

清

Meanings

  • pure
  • purify
  • cleanse
  • exorcise
  • Manchu dynasty
Strokes11
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 4
Frequency#705 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • セイ
  • ショウ
  • シン

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • きよい
  • きよまる
  • きよめる

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

1234567891011

Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

12345678910110 / 11

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 11. Start at the dot.

Common words with 清

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 清掃せいそう

    cleaning; clean-up; garbage collection

    JLPT N2
  • 清潔せいけつ

    clean; hygienic; sanitary

    JLPT N3
  • 清書せいしょ

    fair copy; clean copy

    JLPT N2
  • 清いきよい

    clean; clear

    JLPT N2
  • 清算せいさん

    (financial) settlement; squaring accounts

    JLPT N1
  • 清らかきよらか

    clean; clear

    JLPT N1
  • 清々しいすがすがしい

    refreshing (e.g. feeling, scene, wind, morning air)

    JLPT N1
  • 清純せいじゅん

    purity; innocence

    JLPT N1

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.