清せい貧ひん

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ひ

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Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

honorable poverty; poverty without greed

Refers to a state of being poor but living honestly and contentedly, without selfish desire. Often carries a positive, almost moral connotation.

彼かれは清せい貧ひんの生せい活かつを選えらんだ。
He chose a life of honorable poverty.
清せい貧ひんに甘あまんじる。
To be content with honest poverty.

See all 7 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

清せい貧ひんに甘あまんじるto content oneself with a life of honorable poverty
彼かれは名めい声せいを求もとめず、清せい貧ひんに甘あまんじて暮くらした。
He never sought fame and lived contentedly in honorable poverty.
清せい貧ひんを貫つらぬくto maintain a life of honorable poverty to the end
その僧そうは一いっ生しょう清せい貧ひんを貫つらぬいた。
The monk maintained a life of honorable poverty his whole life.
清せい貧ひんの生せい活かつを送おくるto lead a life of honorable poverty
彼かの女じょは都と会かいを離はなれ、清せい貧ひんの生せい活かつを送おくることを選えらんだ。
She left the city and chose to lead a life of honorable poverty.

Kanji

清pure, purify, cleanse
貧poverty, poor

Related words

貧びん乏ぼうN2
貧乏 is a general, neutral-to-negative term for poverty or being poor, while 清貧 specifically implies a morally upright, self-chosen poverty without greed.
清せい廉れん
清貧 describes living poor but virtuous and content, while 清廉 focuses on moral integrity and freedom from corruption, regardless of one's financial state.
無む欲よくN1
清貧 describes a lifestyle of honest, contented poverty, while 無欲 more broadly describes an attitude of not craving material gain.
禁きん欲よく的てきN1
清貧 refers to living in honorable poverty as a virtue, while 禁欲的 more broadly describes any deliberate avoidance of indulgence, not just poverty.

Opposites

富ふ裕ゆう
清貧 praises a poor but honest life, while 富裕 describes being wealthy and affluent.

Etymology

Compound of 清 (pure, clean) and 貧 (poverty). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys the idea of 'pure poverty' or poverty untainted by selfish desire.