Chinese word

一清二白

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī qīng èr bái

Meaning

  • idiomcompletely innocent

Example

他解释后，大家才知道他一清二白。tā jiě shì hòu dà jiā cái zhī dào tā yì qīng èr bái

After he explained, everyone knew that he was completely innocent.

Illustration for 一清二白 (completely innocent)

More examples

会议上大家讨论后，把责任划分得一清二白。huì yì shàng dà jiā tǎo lùn hòu bǎ zé rèn huà fēn de yì qīng èr bái

After everyone discussed it at the meeting, the responsibilities were clearly divided.

Core concept

A settled state in which doubts have vanished and nothing remains to stain a person or obscure a matter.

Common phrases

  • 把问题弄得一清二白bǎ wèn tí nòng de yì qīng èr bái

    make the issue crystal clear

  • 把责任划分得一清二白bǎ zé rèn huà fēn de yì qīng èr bái

    clearly divide up responsibility

Similar words

清清白白qīng qīng bái bái: Complete innocence that leaves no grounds for suspicion.
明明白白míng míng bái bái: Information or explanations presented in a clear, easy-to-follow way.
真相大白zhēn xiàng dà bái: The discovery of a hidden truth that clears up uncertainty.

Definition in Chinese

用来表示经过说明或证据，嫌疑和疑问完全消除，事情明白清楚，或某人清白无可指责的状态。yòng lái biǎo shì jīng guò shuō míng huò zhèng jù xián yí hé yí wèn wán quán xiāo chú shì qíng míng bái qīng chǔ huò mǒu rén qīng bái wú ké zhǐ zé de zhuàng tài

Word origin

一 (yī, "one") + 清 (qīng, "clear") + 二 (èr, "two") + 白 (bái, "white, pure") combine numbers with images of cleanness to express an emphatic, complete result.

Usage tips

  • For general conversation, this idiom carries a formal, conclusive tone, making it more suitable for a settled assessment than for a casual first comment about a situation.

Other meanings

  • crystal clearidiom

Opposites

  • 真假难辨zhēn jiǎ nán biànhard to tell true from falseidiom
  • 模糊不清mó hú bù qīngvague and unclearidiom

Word lists with this word