adjective HSK 5
Traditional 不潔
unclean · impure · dirty · contaminated
Meaning
不洁 means 'not clean' or 'impure' and is used to describe things that are contaminated, dirty, or morally impure. It combines the negation 不 with 洁 (clean/pure). The term is commonly used in formal, medical, or moral contexts to indicate lack of cleanliness or purity.
Usage
This is a somewhat formal or written term. In medical contexts, it refers to contamination or unsanitary conditions (不洁食物 'contaminated food'). It can also describe moral impurity in literary or religious contexts. In everyday speech, Chinese speakers more commonly use 脏 (zāng) for 'dirty.'
Examples
- 01这次食物中毒是由不洁食物引起的。.This food poisoning was caused by contaminated food.
- 02医生建议不要饮用不洁的水。.The doctor advised not to drink unclean water.
Characters
Common collocations
- 不洁食物contaminated food
- 不洁性行为unsafe sexual behavior
- 不洁的水unclean water
Antonyms
Origin
Straightforward negation compound: 不 (not) + 洁 (clean). The character 洁 contains the water radical 氵, indicating its association with cleanliness and washing.