cing1 lim4清廉
Jyutpingcing1 lim4
Yalechīng lìhm
Definition
Honest, clean, and uncorrupted.
writtenpeoplework
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the integrity of public officials or those in positions of power, rather than just general honesty in everyday social interactions. It carries a formal and slightly literary weight, making it sound more like a description found in news reports or historical discussions than casual conversation. Using it to describe a regular person in a non-professional context can sound overly dramatic or ironic.
Examples
He has always been honest as an official and is highly respected by citizens.
Related words
Common phrases
to be an uncorrupted official
honest and upright
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 誠實, which is a general term for being honest or truthful. While 誠實 can apply to anyone, 清廉 is almost exclusively reserved for people in authority who refrain from corruption or bribery.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
