两袖清风 (liǎng xiù qīng fēng) — (idiom) to be incorruptible; to have clean hands (especially of an official)

Definition

A chengyu praising an official who stays honest and keeps nothing for himself — literally 'two sleeves of clean wind.' Used admiringly to describe incorruptibility in government service.

idiom
to be incorruptibleto have clean hands (especially of an official)

Examples

  • 两袖清风，。
    Nà wèi lǎo xiàn zhǎng yì shēng liǎng xiù qīng fēng, shēn shòu bǎi xìng ài dài.
    That veteran county magistrate lived his whole life with clean hands, deeply loved by the people.
  • 两袖清风。
    Míng cháo de hǎi ruì yǐ liǎng xiù qīng fēng ér wén míng tiān xià.
    Hai Rui of the Ming dynasty was famous throughout the land for his incorruptibility.
  • ，两袖清风，。
    Tā zuò guān sān shí nián, shǐ zhōng liǎng xiù qīng fēng, bù liú bǎ bǐng.
    He was an official for thirty years, always remaining incorruptible and leaving no handle for criticism.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 兩; 两 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 兩 is described as combining 一 and 㒳. The simplified 两 is a later abbreviation.

Open 两 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothing
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu袖
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

袖 pairs 衣 (clothing) with 由, which provides the sound.

Open 袖 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng清qīng
Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

Open 清 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 风 →

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