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净 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
净jìngcleanHSK 6, a, 8 strokes, radical 冫, rank #8134, Hard
净jìngcompletelyHSK 6, a, 8 strokes, radical 冫, rank #8134, Hard
净jìngonlyHSK 6, a, 8 strokes, radical 冫, rank #8134, Hard
净jìngnet (income, exports etc)HSK 6, a, 8 strokes, radical 冫, rank #8134, Hard
净jìngclean, pure; to cleanseHSK 6, a, 8 strokes, radical 冫, rank #8134, Hard
净jìng(Chinese opera) painted face male roleHSK 6, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 冫, rank #8134, Hard
jìng(jing4)jing T4
  1. 1clean
  2. 2completely
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March 24, 2026

净(凈)jìng(jing4)

The character 净 (jìng) primarily means 'clean' or 'pure,' often used in contexts related to cleanliness or purity of substances. It can also refer to net values, such as net income or net exports, making it relevant in financial discussions. Additionally, it has a specific usage in Chinese opera, referring to a male role characterized by a painted face.

Strokes8Radical冫Frequency#8134DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, cleanliness is often associated with health and virtue, making words like 净 significant in daily life. For example, the concept of '净化' (jìng huà, purification) is crucial in both spiritual and physical contexts, reflecting the importance placed on purity.

Memory tip

Imagine a serene mountain stream (净) that is crystal clear and pure, representing cleanliness. The character's form has a water radical (氵), which visually connects to the idea of cleanliness and purity, while the pronunciation 'jìng' sounds like 'jing' in 'cleaning' to help you remember its meaning.

Meanings of 净

jìng(jing4)
1clean
2completely
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 净 means.

About 净

净Simplified
凈Traditional
8Strokes
冫Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#8134Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1

Podcast: 净

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Podcast: 净

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AI study notes for 净

Quick Contrast

净 (jìng) vs 清 (qīng) — use 净 for contexts emphasizing cleanliness or purity, while 清 is more about clarity or freshness.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 净 with 洁 (jié), which also means clean but carries slightly different nuances. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in financial discussions and descriptions of cleanliness. Be careful with tone; mispronouncing it as 'jǐng' can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

While 净 is not currently included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other words related to cleanliness and financial terms. Students should focus on understanding its contexts and collocations, such as 净收入 (jìng shōurù, net income) and 净水 (jìng shuǐ, purified water).

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 净 with its variant 淨 (jìng) or other similar sounding words. For example, saying '我喜欢净水' (Wǒ xǐhuān jìng shuǐ) is correct, but using '我喜欢净' (Wǒ xǐhuān jìng) without context may sound awkward and unclear.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 净

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Etymology of 净

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 冫 represents the meaning and 争 represents the sound. Simplified form of 淨.

Memory hint

water

Semantic (meaning)冫
+
Phonetic (sound)争
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

净 = 冫 + 争. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 净

IDS Structure⿰冫争
净Full character
=
冫bing1
left
争zheng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 净?

How to say clean in Chinese

“clean” in Chinese is净jìng

The character 净 (jìng) primarily means 'clean' or 'pure,' often used in contexts related to cleanliness or purity of substances. It can also refer to net values, such as net income or net exports, making it relevant in financial discussions. Additionally, it has a specific usage in Chinese opera, referring to a male role characterized by a painted face.

When to use 净

Learners often confuse 净 with 洁 (jié), which also means clean but carries slightly different nuances. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in financial discussions and descriptions of cleanliness. Be careful with tone; mispronouncing it as 'jǐng' can change the meaning entirely.

净 or something close to it

净 (jìng) vs 清 (qīng) — use 净 for contexts emphasizing cleanliness or purity, while 清 is more about clarity or freshness.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 净 with its variant 淨 (jìng) or other similar sounding words. For example, saying '我喜欢净水' (Wǒ xǐhuān jìng shuǐ) is correct, but using '我喜欢净' (Wǒ xǐhuān jìng) without context may sound awkward and unclear.

Write 净

净

Practice writing 净 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 净

净 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这个房间很干____。

This room is very clean.

Common confusions with 净

净vs静
jìng

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “clean”?

or

Usage Notes for 净

Confusion with 淨Common Error

Learners may confuse 净 with the variant form 淨, especially in literary contexts.

1

在古文中，常见到“淨”这个字。

In classical texts, the character '淨' is often encountered.

Usage in financial contextsGrammar Tip

When referring to net amounts in finance, 净 is often used. It's important to understand its application in this context.

1

他的净收入很高。

His net income is very high.

Example sentences for 净 (16)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她指责我把过去忘得一干二净。

tā zhǐzé wǒ bǎ guòqù wàng de yìgānèrjìng。

She accuses me of having blocked out the past.
2
他们更加关心那些狗的安危，而非自己如何干净利落地脱身。

tāmen gèngjiā guānxīn nàxiē gǒu de Ān Wēi， ér fēi zìjǐ rúhé gānjìng lì luòdì tuōshēn。

They were more concerned about the dogs' welfare than a clean getaway.
3
除了厨房特别干净外，这地方一片狼藉。

chúle chúfáng tèbié gānjìng wài， zhè dìfang yī piàn láng jí。

Except for the remarkably tidy kitchen, the place was a mess.
4
他穿一件素净的蓝色衬衫，领口敞着。

tā chuān yī jiàn sù jìng de lánsè chènshān， lǐng kǒu chǎng zhe。

He wore a plain blue shirt, open at the collar.
5
他擦了又擦，可就是擦不干净。

tā cā le yòu cā， kě jiùshì cā bù gānjìng。

He rubbed and rubbed but couldn't seem to get clean.
6
在拿吃的之前，用热肥皂水把手好好地洗干净。

zài ná chī de zhīqián， yòng rè féizào shuǐ bǎshou hǎohǎo dì xǐ gānjìng。

Wash your hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before handling any food.
7
我把准备的东西忘了个一干二净。

wǒ bǎ zhǔnbèi de dōngxi wàng le gè yìgānèrjìng。

I clean forgot everything I had prepared.
8
拿扫帚把那些玻璃清扫干净好吗？

ná sàozhou bǎ nàxiē bōli qīngsǎo gānjìng hǎoma？

Get a broom and sweep up that glass will you?
9
他未能干净利落地同那起攻击事件撇清关系。

tā wèi nénggàn jìng lì luòdì tóng nà qǐ gōngjī shìjiàn piě qīng guānxì。

He has failed to dissociate himself clearly and unambiguously from the attack.
10
她那擦得干干净净的架子上排列着几百个果酱罐。

tā nà cā de gān gānjìng jìng de jiàzi shàng páiliè zhe jǐ bǎi gè guǒjiàng guàn。

Hundreds of jam pots lined her scrubbed shelves.
11
他把房间打扫得一尘不染，非常干净。

Tā bǎ fángjiān dǎsǎo de yī chén bù rǎn, fēicháng gānjìng.

He cleaned the room until it was spotless, extremely clean.
12
这件衣服需要用温水洗得干干净净。

Zhè jiàn yīfu xūyào yòng wēnshuǐ xǐ de gāngānjìngjìng.

This piece of clothing needs to be washed very clean with warm water.
13
他用力把窗户擦得晶莹剔透，干净极了。

Tā yòng lì bǎ chuānghù cā de jīngyíngtītòu, gānjìng jíle.

He cleaned the window vigorously until it was crystal clear and very clean.
14
这个房间每天都要打扫，保持干净整洁。

Zhège fángjiān měitiān dōu yào dǎsǎo, bǎochí gānjìng zhěngjié.

This room needs to be cleaned every day to keep it tidy and clean.
15
她喜欢用香皂洗手，把手洗得又香又干净。

Tā xǐhuān yòng xiāngzào xǐshǒu, bǎ shǒu xǐ dé yòu xiāng yòu gānjìng.

She likes to wash her hands with soap, making them fragrant and clean.
16
请把这个地方彻底清理干净，以免留下任何痕迹。

Qǐng bǎ zhège dìfāng chèdǐ qīnglǐ gānjìng, yǐmiǎn liúxià rènhé hénjì.

Please thoroughly clean this area to avoid leaving any traces.

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Cultural Notes for 净

💡Did you know?

In Chinese opera, the term '净' refers to the painted face male role, which is characterized by vivid and distinct facial makeup, symbolizing specific traits or personalities of the character portrayed.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

The emphasis on cleanliness and purity in Chinese culture can be more pronounced than in some Western cultures, where cleanliness is often a matter of convenience rather than a virtue.

Word Family of 净

Words containing this character19
干净gānjìngclean乾淨
净jìngclean淨
净化jìnghuàto purify淨化
净值jìngzhínet value淨值
纯净chúnjìngpure純淨
洗净xǐjìngto wash clean洗淨
洁净jiéjìngclean潔淨
一干二净yìgānèrjìngthoroughly (idiom)一乾二淨
清净qīngjìngpeaceful清淨
干净利落gānjìnglìluosqueaky clean乾淨利落
净土jìngtǔ(Buddhism) Pure Land, usually refers to Amitabha Buddha's Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhavati in Sanskrit)淨土
净水jìngshuǐclean water淨水
白净báijìng(of skin) fair and clear白淨
净利jìnglìnet profit淨利
明净míngjìngluminous明淨
净重jìngzhòngnet weight淨重
净身jìngshēnto purify one's body (i.e. to get castrated)凈身
眼不见为净yǎnbújiànwéijìngwhat remains unseen is deemed to be clean眼不見為淨
素净sùjingsimple and neat素淨
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 净

What does 干净 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 净

净 (jìng) often refers to cleanliness or a net value, while 清 (qīng) generally means 'clear' or 'pure' in a broader sense. For example, you might use 清 to describe clear water or a clear sky, whereas 净 is more specific to cleanliness or net figures. Understanding the nuances can help in using these words accurately.

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