adjective / verb HSK 5
Traditional 肅
solemn · respectful · to eliminate · to clean up
Meaning
肃 describes a serious, respectful, or dignified atmosphere or attitude. It can also mean to purge or eliminate undesirable elements. The character conveys both the sense of reverent quietness and the action of cleaning up or making orderly.
Usage
肃 is more formal and literary. It commonly appears in compound words like 严肃 (serious), 肃静 (quiet and solemn), and 整肃 (to reorganize/purge). Rarely used alone in modern spoken Chinese, but its compounds are very common in both written and spoken contexts.
Examples
- 01大家都很严肃地听老师讲话。.Everyone listened to the teacher speak very seriously.
- 02政府决定整肃官员腐败问题。.The government decided to crack down on official corruption.
Common collocations
- 严肃对待to treat seriously
- 肃清to eliminate, to purge
- 整肃纪律to tighten up discipline
- 肃穆solemn and respectful
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 肅 depicts a person kneeling in a respectful posture, conveying the original meaning of reverence and solemnity.