na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Describes a person, mind, or thing free from impurity, corruption, or worldly influence. Often used for childlike innocence or pristine nature.
彼女の無垢な笑顔に心が洗われた。
Her innocent smile cleansed my heart.
na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Refers to materials or substances that are not mixed with anything else; often used for metals like gold or silver. Compare with 金無垢 (solid gold).
See also: 金無垢
plain white kimono
Specifically refers to a long kimono made from a single plain-colored cloth, traditionally worn by brides (白無垢). This sense is a noun only.
See also: 白無垢
花嫁は白無垢を着て式に臨んだ。
The bride attended the ceremony wearing a pure white kimono.
Her heart is so pure that she doesn't suspect anyone.
この湖の水は無垢で、そのまま飲める。
The water of this lake is pure and can be drunk as is.
This ring is made of pure gold.
無垢の素材を使った家具は高価だ。
Furniture made of solid, unmixed materials is expensive.
I was comforted by that innocent child's smile.
This table is made from solid, unmixed wood.
無垢 stresses being unspoiled or naive and can describe objects like pure gold, whereas 清純 focuses on a person's moral or spiritual purity.
無垢 emphasizes total innocence or unblemished simplicity (often of a child), while ピュア is broader and can describe feelings, substances, or people with a modern nuance.
無垢 stresses innocence or being unsullied, especially of a person's heart, whereas 清らか can also describe physical clarity like water or sound.
不純 describes something mixed or adulterated with impurities, the direct opposite of 無垢 in its sense of unmixed, pure material.
金無垢 is a compound noun meaning solid gold, a specific application of 無垢's 'unmixed material' sense rather than a general synonym for it.
白無垢 is the specific noun for a plain white bridal kimono, whereas 無垢 alone is the broader adjective for purity or plainness.
white bridal kimono
solid wood; natural wood
pure gold; solid gold
purity; spotlessness; immaculateness
pure and innocent; immaculate
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the abstract purity sense.
From 無 (without) + 垢 (impurity, dirt), literally 'without impurities'. The kanji combination is straightforward and the word has been used in Japanese for centuries.