Japanese word

不潔

Pronunciation

Romajifuketsu

Meaning

  • na-adjectivedirty

Example

その部屋は不潔です。so no heya wa fu ketsu de su

That room is dirty.

Illustration for 不潔 (dirty)

More examples

共有のタオルは、毎日洗わないと不潔になりやすいです。kyō yū no ta o ru wa mai nichi ara wa na i to fu ketsu ni na ri ya su i de su

Shared towels can quickly become dirty if they are not washed every day.

Core concept

Refers to a condition in which cleanliness or hygiene is lacking, whether the problem is visible or not.

Common phrases

  • 不潔な手fu ketsu na te

    dirty hands

  • 不潔な環境fu ketsu na kan kyō

    unsanitary environment

  • 不潔に見えるfu ketsu ni mi e ru

    look dirty

Similar words

不衛生fueisei: Lacking hygienic conditions and likely to cause problems for health.
不浄fujō: Regarded as unclean or impure in a religious or formal context.

Definition in Japanese

衛生上好ましくない状態で、清潔さを欠いているさま。ei sei jō kono ma shi ku na i jō tai de sei ketsu sa o ka i te i ru sa ma

Word origin

不潔 (fuketsu) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 不 (fu, "not") and 潔 (ketsu, "clean"), so its basic sense is "not clean."

Usage tips

  • Because 不潔 (fuketsu) can suggest poor hygiene, describing someone this way may criticize their habits rather than merely mention a stain.

Other meanings

  • filthyna-adjective
  • unsanitaryna-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 不潔さyabachisadirtinessnoun
  • 不潔感fuketsukansense of dirtinessnoun

Word lists with this word