清白(せいはく)

せいはく
noun, adjective-na
purity; innocence; integrity
1. purity; innocence; integrity
the state of being morally pure, clean, and free from corruption or wrongdoing
彼(かれ)は自分(じぶん)の清白(せいはく)を主張(しゅちょう)した。
He asserted his innocence.
清白(せいはく)な心(こころ)で政治(せいじ)に臨(のぞ)むべきだ。
One should approach politics with a pure heart.
長年(ながねん)にわたる裁判(さいばん)の末(すえ)、ようやく清白(せいはく)が証明(しょうめい)され、彼(かれ)は無罪(むざい)放免(ほうめん)となった。
After years of trial, his innocence was finally proven and he was acquitted.

A formal, literary word for moral purity and innocence. Combines 清(せい) (clean/pure) and 白(はく) (white/blank), both carrying connotations of moral cleanliness. Often appears in legal, political, and literary contexts when discussing someone's moral character or innocence.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 清白(せいはく)を証明(しょうめい)する: to prove one's innocence
  • 清白(せいはく)を主張(しゅちょう)する: to assert one's innocence
  • 清白(せいはく)な人格(じんかく): a person of integrity

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 潔白(けっぱく): innocence/integrity — more commonly used, especially in legal contexts
  • 清廉(せいれん): integrity/incorruptibility — emphasizes freedom from corruption, especially of officials
  • 無実(むじつ): innocence (of a crime) — specifically legal innocence, not a general moral quality
  • 純粋(じゅんすい): pure — broader usage, can describe personality, intentions, or substances
general
Added 2026.4.19 19:11
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