清清白白 (qīng qīng bái bái) — innocent and upright, having a clean record
Definition
A fixed four-character idiom meaning morally pure and untainted — used to praise someone whose life or conduct is completely clean, with no shady dealings or wrongdoing.
bound form
innocent and uprighthaving a clean record
Examples
- 清清白白，。Tā yì shēng qīng qīng bái bái, cóng bú zuò kuī xīn shì.He lived a spotless life and never did anything against his conscience.
- ，清清白白。Jīng guò diào chá, shì shí zhèng míng tā qīng qīng bái bái.After the investigation, the facts proved he was completely innocent.
- 清清白白，。Zuò guān yào qīng qīng bái bái, duì de qǐ bǎi xìng.An official must be upright and clean-handed, deserving of the people's trust.
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 means clear and 白 means white; repeating both intensifies the sense of being pure and upright.
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