一尘不染
yī chén bù rǎn
spotless; (of a person) untouched by corruption
Character by character
一yī
one
one
尘chén
dust
dust
不bù
not
not
染rǎn
stain
stain
Example
她把房间打扫得一尘不染。
She cleaned the room until it was spotless.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
In Buddhism 尘, “dust”, stands for the objects of the senses that cloud the mind, the picture behind the Chan verses about wiping the mirror of the mind. Today it praises a spotless room, or an official who stays clean: 一尘不染的清官.
Learn this in Lesson 90 · HSK 6–7: 佛教来到中国 (How Buddhism became Chinese)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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