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清

清 — pure, purify, cleanse

Learn the correct stroke order for 清 (pure), a 11-stroke kanji.

JLPT N2Grade 411 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 11
On'yomi (音読み)セイsei、ショウshou、シンshin
Kun'yomi (訓読み)きよ.いkiyoi、きよ.まるkiyomaru、きよ.めるkiyomeru
Strokes11
Radical水
Frequency#705
Meaningspure, purify, cleanse, exorcise, Manchu dynasty

Step-by-Step Diagram

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Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 11 — start from the green dot

Common Words

粛清しゅくせい(political) purgenoun
清いきよいclean; cleari-adjective
清潔せいけつclean; hygienic; sanitaryna-adjective
清算せいさん(financial) settlement; squaring accounts; clearing debtsnoun
清酒せいしゅrefined sakenoun
清書せいしょfair copy; clean copynoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 清 (pure) is taught in grade 4 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N2 level. It has 11 strokes with radical 水.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 清 is #705, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

粛清しゅくせい — (political) purge
清いきよい — clean; clear
清潔せいけつ — clean; hygienic; sanitary

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (水)

水water永eternity氷icicle汁soup氾spread out江creek池pond汚dirty

Same reading

勢forces象elephant賞prize針needle接touch省government ministry森forest将leader

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 清 have?

The kanji 清 (pure) has 11 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 清?

清 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 清 mean?

清 means: pure, purify, cleanse, exorcise, Manchu dynasty. On'yomi readings: セイ, ショウ, シン. Kun'yomi readings: きよ.い, きよ.まる, きよ.める.

What JLPT level is 清?

清 is a JLPT N2 kanji. This is an advanced kanji.