When you want to talk about cleaning something in Japanese, you can use the verb 清掃する (せいそうする). It literally means 'to clean' or 'to sweep'.
You can use it for various cleaning tasks, like cleaning a room or sweeping the floor. It's a common and practical word to know.
When you want to express the action of cleaning or sweeping in Japanese, the verb to use is 清掃する (せいそうする). This verb is quite versatile and can be used in various contexts where something needs to be cleaned, like a room, a street, or even a public space. It's often used in more formal or public settings compared to 掃除する (そうじする), which is generally for more routine or personal cleaning tasks around the house.
For example, if you are talking about cleaning a public park, you would likely use 清掃する. If you're discussing the act of a janitor cleaning a building, 清掃する is also appropriate. Remember, the kanji 清 (せい) means 'clean' or 'pure' and 掃 (そう) means 'to sweep,' giving you a direct understanding of its meaning.
§ Understanding 清掃する: To Clean
Alright, let's break down the Japanese verb 清掃する (せいそうする, seisou suru). At its core, 清掃する means 'to clean' or 'to sweep.' It's a pretty straightforward verb, but like many Japanese words, understanding its nuances and when to use it versus other similar verbs is key to sounding natural.
- DEFINITION
- To clean or sweep.
The verb 清掃する is a suru-verb, which means it combines the noun 清掃 (せいそう, seisou - cleaning/sweeping) with the verb する (suru - to do). This is a common pattern in Japanese for creating verbs from nouns. When you hear or see 清掃する, think about a more thorough, often professional or systematic kind of cleaning. It's not usually for a quick tidying up of your desk, but for a more substantial cleaning task.
§ When to Use 清掃する
So, when do Japanese speakers actually use 清掃する? You'll typically encounter it in situations where the cleaning is:
- Official or Public: Think about cleaning public spaces like parks, schools, offices, or train stations.
- Regular and Scheduled: For example, a building's regular maintenance cleaning.
- Thorough: It implies a more complete and systematic cleaning rather than just a quick wipe.
You'll often see it in signs, announcements, or formal contexts. For instance, if you're at a train station and they announce that cleaning will be done, they'll likely use 清掃する. The same goes for job descriptions for cleaners, where the work is often referred to as 清掃作業 (せいそうさぎょう, seisou sagyou - cleaning work).
§ Examples in Context
駅のホームを清掃する。
Translation hint: To clean the train platform.
公園を毎日清掃しています。
Translation hint: (We) clean the park every day.
このビルは週に一度清掃されます。
Translation hint: This building is cleaned once a week.
§ Common Phrases with 清掃
You'll also hear 清掃 used in noun phrases related to cleaning:
- 清掃員 (せいそういん, seisouin): Cleaner, janitor. This refers to the person who performs the cleaning.
- 清掃活動 (せいそうかつどう, seisou katsudou): Cleaning activity, cleanup drive. Often used for volunteer or community cleaning efforts.
- 清掃車 (せいそうしゃ, seisousha): Street sweeper (vehicle), garbage truck (less common, but can be used for vehicles involved in keeping areas clean).
- 清掃時間 (せいそうじかん, seisou jikan): Cleaning time. You might see this on a sign indicating when an area is being cleaned.
By keeping these common associations in mind, you'll get a better feel for when 清掃する is the appropriate verb to use. It's all about context, and with practice, you'll start to naturally distinguish it from other cleaning verbs.
§ Don't Confuse it with 掃除する (souji suru)
Many learners mix up 清掃する (seisou suru) and 掃除する (souji suru). While both mean 'to clean,' they have different nuances and are used in different contexts. Understanding these differences is key to sounding more natural in Japanese.
- DEFINITION
- 掃除する (souji suru) is the more common and general term for cleaning. It's used for everyday cleaning in homes, offices, and personal spaces. It often implies a personal act of tidying up and making a place presentable.
部屋を掃除する。(He cleans his room.)
毎日オフィスを掃除します。(I clean the office every day.)
- DEFINITION
- 清掃する (seisou suru), on the other hand, implies a more thorough, professional, or large-scale cleaning. It's often used for public spaces, buildings, or when the cleaning is done by professionals or as part of a formal duty. Think of 'maintenance cleaning' or 'sanitation.'
駅の構内を清掃する。(They clean the station premises.)
ビルの窓を清掃する会社。(A company that cleans building windows.)
§ Not Using it for Personal, Casual Cleaning
A common mistake is using 清掃する for everyday, personal cleaning tasks. While it's not strictly 'wrong' in terms of meaning 'to clean,' it can sound overly formal or even a bit odd in casual conversations. For example, if you say:
私の部屋を清掃します。(I will professionally clean my room.)
It might sound like you're hiring a cleaning crew for your room, or you're doing a deep, professional-level cleaning, rather than just tidying up. For simple, routine room cleaning, 掃除する is much more appropriate.
§ Using it for Abstract 'Cleaning'
Both 清掃する and 掃除する primarily refer to physical cleaning. You wouldn't typically use them for abstract ideas like 'cleaning up a mess of problems' or 'cleaning out your thoughts.' For those, you'd use different verbs or phrases. For instance:
問題を解決する (mondai o kaiketsu suru) - to solve problems
気持ちを整理する (kimochi o seiri suru) - to organize one's feelings
Stick to physical cleaning when using 清掃する.
How Formal Is It?
"毎日、駅を清掃する義務があります。"
"週末に部屋を掃除します。"
"ねえ、早く部屋を片付けてよ！"
"おもちゃをお片付けしてね。"
"ちょっとそこ掃いてくれる？"
Le savais-tu ?
The character 清 is also used in words like 清水 (shimizu, 'clear water') and 清潔 (seiketsu, 'cleanliness').
Exemples par niveau
毎日、事務所を清掃しています。
I clean the office every day.
「清掃する」is often used for public or professional spaces.
週末に部屋を清掃する予定です。
I plan to clean my room on the weekend.
「予定です」indicates a plan or intention.
地域清掃活動に参加しました。
I participated in a community clean-up activity.
「清掃活動」is a common compound noun meaning 'cleaning activity'.
この機械は自動的に床を清掃します。
This machine automatically cleans the floor.
「自動的に」means 'automatically'.
使用後は必ずキッチンを清掃してください。
Please be sure to clean the kitchen after use.
「必ず〜してください」is a strong request or instruction.
公園のゴミを清掃するボランティアを募集しています。
We are looking for volunteers to clean up the park's trash.
「募集しています」means 'we are recruiting/looking for'.
汚れた窓を清掃して、景色がよく見えるようになりました。
After cleaning the dirty windows, the view became much clearer.
「〜て、〜」connects actions in chronological order, often implying a result.
彼はいつも仕事場の周りをきれいに清掃しています。
He always cleans up around his workplace neatly.
「きれいに」is an adverb meaning 'neatly' or 'cleanly'.
Origine du mot
Sino-Japanese compound
Sens originel : 清 (sei): clear, pure; 掃 (sō): to sweep, to brush
JapaneseContexte culturel
When someone says they are going to do <p>清掃 (seisō)</p>, it often implies a more thorough or official cleaning than just a quick tidying up. For example, a janitor might perform <p>清掃 (seisō)</p> of a building, or a school might organize a <p>清掃 (seisō)</p> event with students. It emphasizes a structured and complete cleaning process.
Teste-toi 42 questions
Which of these means 'to clean'?
清掃する (seisou suru) means to clean or sweep. The other options mean to eat, to drink, and to sleep.
You want to say 'I clean my room.' Which verb should you use?
清掃する (seisou suru) is the correct verb for 'to clean'.
Choose the correct Japanese word for 'clean'.
清掃 (seisou) is the noun form of 'clean' or 'cleaning'. The verb form is 清掃する (seisou suru).
清掃する (seisou suru) means 'to play'.
清掃する (seisou suru) means 'to clean' or 'to sweep', not 'to play'.
If you want to say 'I clean the house,' you can use 清掃する (seisou suru).
清掃する (seisou suru) is the correct verb to use for 'to clean'.
You use 清掃する (seisou suru) when you are talking about eating food.
清掃する (seisou suru) is for cleaning, not eating. The verb for eating is 食べる (taberu).
You just finished cleaning your room. Write a short sentence about it using '清掃する'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
部屋の清掃が終わりました。
Imagine you are making a schedule for cleaning the office. Write a simple instruction for 'cleaning the office' using '清掃する'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
事務所を毎日清掃してください。
Your friend asks what you do at your part-time job. You clean a shop. Write a sentence explaining this using '清掃する'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私は店を清掃するアルバイトをしています。
佐藤さんは何をしますか？
Read this passage:
佐藤さんは毎日、朝早く起きて会社の周りを清掃します。これは彼の仕事の一部です。彼はこの仕事が好きです。
佐藤さんは何をしますか？
文章の冒頭に「佐藤さんは毎日、朝早く起きて会社の周りを清掃します。」とあります。
文章の冒頭に「佐藤さんは毎日、朝早く起きて会社の周りを清掃します。」とあります。
なぜボランティアの人たちは公園を清掃しましたか？
Read this passage:
公園がとても汚れていたので、ボランティアの人たちが集まって清掃することになりました。多くの人が参加し、公園はきれいになりました。
なぜボランティアの人たちは公園を清掃しましたか？
文章の冒頭に「公園がとても汚れていたので、ボランティアの人たちが集まって清掃することになりました。」とあります。
文章の冒頭に「公園がとても汚れていたので、ボランティアの人たちが集まって清掃することになりました。」とあります。
田中さんはいつ部屋を清掃する予定ですか？
Read this passage:
週末、田中さんは自分の部屋を清掃する予定です。長い間忙しくてできなかったので、今回は時間をかけてきれいにしたいと思っています。
田中さんはいつ部屋を清掃する予定ですか？
文章の冒頭に「週末、田中さんは自分の部屋を清掃する予定です。」とあります。
文章の冒頭に「週末、田中さんは自分の部屋を清掃する予定です。」とあります。
This sentence means 'I clean my room every day.' The order of topic (毎日), object (部屋を), and verb (清掃します) is standard in Japanese.
This means 'I participated in a volunteer activity to clean the park.' The modifying clause '公園を清掃する' comes before the noun 'ボランティア'.
This sentence translates to 'He is in charge of cleaning the office.' '清掃する' modifies '担当' (person in charge).
今日の当番は私が教室を___。
「清掃する」は「掃除する」という意味の動詞です。文脈に合わせて「今日の当番は私が教室を清掃する。(Today, it's my turn to clean the classroom.)」が適切です。
毎朝、会社の入り口を___のが私の仕事です。
「清掃する」は「掃除する」という意味の動詞です。文脈に合わせて「毎朝、会社の入り口を清掃するのが私の仕事です。(Every morning, it's my job to clean the company entrance.)」が適切です。
この部屋は長い間、誰も___かったようだ。
この文脈では受動態の「清掃される」が適切です。長い間誰も清掃しなかったことを示すため「清掃されなかった」となります。「この部屋は長い間、誰も清掃されなかったようだ。(It seems no one has cleaned this room for a long time.)」
年に一度、大がかりなビルの外壁___が行われます。
この文脈では名詞の「清掃」が適切です。「年に一度、大がかりなビルの外壁清掃が行われます。(A large-scale cleaning of the building's exterior walls is carried out once a year.)」
専門業者に頼んで、エアコンの内部を___もらった。
「～してもらう」の形で依頼を表します。エアコンの内部を専門業者に依頼して清掃してもらった、という意味になります。「専門業者に頼んで、エアコンの内部を清掃してもらった。(I asked a specialist company to clean the inside of the air conditioner.)」
彼はいつも自分のデスクをきれいに___いる。
「～している」は継続的な行為を表します。彼はいつも自分のデスクをきれいに清掃している、という意味になります。「彼はいつも自分のデスクをきれいに清掃している。(He always keeps his desk clean.)」
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 毎日、公園を___ことは大変ですが、とても大切です。(It's hard to ___ the park every day, but it's very important.)
The sentence is about maintaining a park, so '清掃する' (to clean/sweep) is the most fitting verb.
Which of the following describes the act of '清掃する'?
'清掃する' specifically refers to cleaning, which involves removing dirt and trash.
The manager asked the employees to ___ the office before leaving.
To '清掃する' the office means to clean it. The other options are irrelevant to the context of cleaning before leaving.
「清掃する」 means 'to sing a song'.
「清掃する」 means 'to clean or sweep', not 'to sing a song'.
You can use 「清掃する」 when talking about cleaning your room.
「清掃する」 is a general verb for cleaning, and it can be used for cleaning various places, including your room.
The word 「清掃する」 implies making something dirty.
「清掃する」 means 'to clean', so it implies making something clean, not dirty.
What is being cleaned daily?
When is the room going to be cleaned?
What kind of activity did he participate in?
Read this aloud:
このオフィスは毎日清掃されています。
Focus: 清掃
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
休日に家の周りを清掃するのは気持ちがいいです。
Focus: 清掃するのは
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
地域のイベントで一緒に清掃しませんか？
Focus: 清掃しませんか
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence talks about entrusting daily office cleaning to a professional company.
This sentence mentions residents participating in monthly park cleaning activities.
This sentence describes volunteers dedicating themselves to town cleaning after a disaster.
Read this aloud:
環境保護のため、私たちは定期的に地域の清掃を行います。
Focus: 清掃 (せいそう)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
ビル全体の清掃は専門のスタッフが担当しています。
Focus: 担当 (たんとう)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
清掃が行き届いていると、来客に良い印象を与えます。
Focus: 行き届いている (ゆきとどいている)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Exemple
毎日、会社の共有スペースを清掃しています。
Contenu associé
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A1The act of making small changes to something to achieve a desired fit, function, or balance. In a work context, it specifically refers to coordinating schedules or aligning different opinions to reach an agreement.
有利な
B1Advantageous or favorable.
承知する
B1To acknowledge, agree; to be aware of and consent to something.
年収
B1Annual income; yearly salary.
応募
B1To apply for a position, a competition, a prize, or a public offer. It indicates a proactive step to participate in something.
応募する
B1To apply for a job or position.
～と同時に
B1At the same time as, simultaneously with.
勤怠
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係員
A2Person in charge; attendant.
ぎんこういん
A2Bank employee.
