清清楚楚 (qīng qīng chǔ chǔ) — crystal clear; clearly

Definition

A reduplicated adverbial phrase (AABB) meaning 'crystal clear / distinctly'. Used after verbs like 说 or 看得见 to emphasize that something is completely clear, without ambiguity.

bound form
crystal clearclearly

Examples

  • 清清楚楚清清楚楚。
    Tā bǎ shì qing de jīng guò shuō dé qīng qīng chǔ chǔ qīng qīng chǔ chǔ.
    He explained the whole process crystal clearly.
  • 清清楚楚清清楚楚，。
    Zhè fèn bào gào xiě dé qīng qīng chǔ chǔ qīng qīng chǔ chǔ, méi yǒu rèn hé qí yì.
    This report is written very clearly, without any ambiguity.
  • ，清清楚楚清清楚楚。
    Jīng guò lǎo shī jiǎng jiě, nà dào tí biàn de qīng qīng chǔ chǔ qīng qīng chǔ chǔ.
    After the teacher's explanation, that problem became crystal clear.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

清清clear
清qīngclear清qīngclear
重叠Reduplication
楚楚distinct
楚chǔdistinct楚chǔdistinct
重叠Reduplication

清 and 楚 are repeated to intensify clear and distinct.

Characters in this word

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 →

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 →

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
林林línforest; grove; woods
Sound part声符shēngfú
疋
疋pǐ楚chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form combined 林 (forest) with a part like a footprint, perhaps pointing to a place with a group of trees. In 楚, the lower part is written as 疋, which gives the sound and preserves part of that drawing.

Open 楚 →

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
林林línforest; grove; woods
Sound part声符shēngfú
疋
疋pǐ楚chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form combined 林 (forest) with a part like a footprint, perhaps pointing to a place with a group of trees. In 楚, the lower part is written as 疋, which gives the sound and preserves part of that drawing.

Open 楚 →

Grammar

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.