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A2 noun #3,000 le plus courant 5 min de lecture

清新

qīng xīn
At the A1 level, think of '清新' (qīngxīn) as a word to describe good air. When you go outside after it rains, or when you are in a big park with many trees, the air is not 'dirty' or 'smelly'—it is '清新'. You can say: '空气很清新' (The air is very fresh). It is a positive word. You use it when you feel good breathing the air. It is like the English word 'fresh' but mostly for air and nature. Don't use it for food like milk or bread yet; just focus on the air and the forest. It helps you express that a place feels nice and clean.
At the A2 level, you can start using '清新' to describe more than just air. You can use it for a 'look' or a 'style'. For example, if a room has white walls, a few green plants, and lots of sunlight, you can say the room is '清新'. It means the room looks clean, simple, and makes you feel relaxed. You can also use it for a person's clothes. If someone wears a simple light-blue shirt and looks very neat, their style is '清新'. Remember the difference: '新鲜' (xīnxiān) is for 'fresh' food (like a fresh apple), but '清新' (qīngxīn) is for 'fresh' air or a 'fresh' style. It's about the feeling of the environment.
By B1, you should use '清新' to describe artistic works like music, stories, or paintings. If a song has a simple melody with an acoustic guitar and a clear voice, it is '清新'. It isn't 'heavy' or 'noisy'. In writing, if an author uses simple but beautiful words to describe nature, their '文笔' (writing style) is '清新'. You might also hear the term '小清新' (xiǎo qīngxīn), which refers to a specific subculture of young people who like aesthetic, indie, and nostalgic things. It's a very common word in social media comments to praise a photo's editing or a person's natural makeup look.
At the B2 level, '清新' becomes a tool for more nuanced descriptions. You can use it to describe a 'breath of fresh air' in a metaphorical sense—like a '清新' perspective in a boring meeting or a '清新' approach to solving a problem. It implies that the idea is not only new but also unburdened by old, complicated ways of thinking. You should also be able to distinguish it from '清爽' (qīngshuǎng), which is more about a physical feeling of being cool and dry (like after using a refreshing face wash), whereas '清新' is more about the overall atmosphere and aesthetic purity. It often appears in formal travel writing and literary critiques.
At the C1 level, you should appreciate the poetic and literary depth of '清新'. It is often used in classical and modern literature to describe the 'spirit' of a landscape or the 'purity' of a character's soul. You will see it in phrases like '格调清新' (a fresh and high-standard style) or '面目清新' (a completely new and fresh appearance/outlook). At this level, you should be able to use '清新' to critique complex works of art, noting how a creator avoids 'clichés' (陈词滥调) to achieve a '清新' effect. It suggests a high level of sophistication achieved through simplicity—a 'less is more' philosophy.
For C2 learners, '清新' is a conceptual category. It represents an aesthetic ideal in Chinese culture that values the 'natural' (自然) over the 'artificial' (人工). You can discuss how '清新' as a quality relates to Taoist or Buddhist ideas of returning to a state of simplicity and clarity. You should be able to use it in academic contexts, such as discussing the '清新' style of the 'New Sensibilities' school in literature or the evolution of the '清新' aesthetic in Chinese cinema. At this level, the word is no longer just a descriptor; it is a lens through which you can analyze the cultural preference for clarity, purity, and unadorned beauty.
Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

清新 en 30 secondes

  • Primarily describes fresh air and natural environments.
  • Used for minimalist, clean, and unpretentious aesthetic styles.
  • Distinguished from '新鲜' (food) and '清洁' (sanitary).
  • Carries a strong positive connotation of purity and clarity.

The term 清新 (qīngxīn) is a multifaceted Chinese adjective (and occasionally used as a noun to describe a state) that primarily translates to 'fresh and clean,' 'pure,' or 'refreshing.' At its core, it evokes a sensory experience of clarity and novelty, often associated with the natural world immediately following a rainstorm or the crisp air of a high-altitude mountain range. In modern linguistic contexts, it has expanded beyond physical sensations to describe aesthetic styles, musical compositions, and even personal temperaments.

Literal Dimension
Refers to physical environments where the air is untainted by pollution or heat. It describes the smell of grass, the clarity of water, and the coolness of a morning breeze.
Aesthetic Dimension
In art and design, '清新' refers to a style that is minimalist, light-colored, and uncluttered. It is the opposite of 'heavy' (沉重) or 'gaudy' (俗气).
Psychological Dimension
Describes a feeling of mental clarity or a person whose personality is perceived as honest, simple, and unpretentious.

雨后的空气格外清新，让人感到心旷神怡。

— The air after the rain is exceptionally fresh, making one feel relaxed and happy.

这首歌的旋律非常清新，没有多余的修饰。

— The melody of this song is very fresh, without unnecessary ornamentation.

她的装扮走的是清新路线，给人一种邻家女孩的感觉。

— Her style follows a fresh path, giving off a 'girl next door' vibe.

When we look at the characters individually, 清 (qīng) means clear, transparent, or distinct, while 新 (xīn) means new or novel. Together, they form a concept that is not just 'new,' but 'newly purified.' This is why it is so frequently used to describe the atmosphere of a forest or a well-ventilated room. It suggests a removal of the old, the stale, and the murky, replaced by something vibrant and life-affirming.

Using 清新 correctly requires understanding its collocations. While it means 'fresh,' it is not interchangeable with '新鲜' (xīnxiān) in all contexts. You wouldn't use '清新' to describe the freshness of fish or vegetables; that is strictly the domain of '新鲜'. '清新' is reserved for abstract qualities, environments, and artistic styles.

1. Describing the Environment

This is the most common usage. It often pairs with nouns like 空气 (air), 气息 (breath/scent), or 环境 (environment).

  • 清新的空气 (Fresh air)
  • 清新的晨曦 (Fresh morning light)

2. Describing Style and Art

In the realms of literature, music, and fashion, '清新' implies a lack of heavy-handedness. It suggests a style that is light, natural, and easy to digest.

  • 文笔清新 (Fresh writing style)
  • 曲风清新 (Fresh musical style)

3. Describing People

When applied to a person, it usually refers to their appearance or 'vibe' (气质). A '清新' person looks clean, wears light colors, and has a natural, unpretentious demeanor.

You will encounter 清新 in various social and professional settings in China. Its positive connotation makes it a favorite in marketing and daily conversation.

Travel & Nature

Tour guides and travel bloggers frequently use '清新' to describe mountain resorts, coastal cities, and parks. '这里的空气非常清新' is a staple phrase in tourism.

Social Media (Xiaohongshu)

On platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), '清新' is a major keyword for photo filters, home decor, and fashion outfits. The 'Muji style' is often described as '清新'.

Music & Film Reviews

Critics use it to describe indie films or acoustic music that avoids the 'industrial' feel of mainstream pop. It suggests a 'breath of fresh air' in the industry.

Daily Greetings

In the morning, people might comment on the '清新' weather to start a conversation on a positive note.

In professional settings, a designer might present a '清新' UI (User Interface) to suggest it is user-friendly, clean, and modern without being overwhelming.

Even advanced learners sometimes stumble when choosing between '清新' and its close relatives. Here are the most common pitfalls:

Confusing with 新鲜 (xīnxiān)
This is the #1 mistake.
Wrong: 这个苹果很清新 (This apple is very fresh).
Right: 这个苹果很新鲜.
Rule: Use '新鲜' for food, news, and biological freshness. Use '清新' for air, style, and vibes.
Confusing with 清洁 (qīngjié)
'清洁' means 'clean' in the sense of being free from dirt or germs (sanitary).
Wrong: 他的房间很清新 (His room is fresh - unless you mean the air).
Right: 他的房间很清洁 (His room is clean/tidy).
Overusing '小清新'
While '小清新' is a popular term, using it to describe a serious academic work or a professional business report might come off as slightly patronizing or informal. It carries a 'cute' or 'hipster' connotation.

To truly master '清新', you should understand how it sits within a cluster of related terms. Each has a specific nuance that '清新' might lack.

WordNuanceExample
清爽 (qīngshuǎng)Focuses on feeling cool and comfortable (often after a shower or in a breeze).洗完澡感觉很清爽。
鲜艳 (xiānyàn)Focuses on bright, vivid colors.花朵颜色鲜艳。
雅致 (yǎzhì)Focuses on refined, elegant, and tasteful beauty.房间布置得很雅致。
纯净 (chúnjìng)Focuses on purity and lack of contamination (often for water or soul).纯净的海水。

While '清新' shares the 'clean' aspect with '清爽' and the 'new' aspect with '新鲜', its unique value lies in the combination of purity and aesthetic lightness. It is a word that appeals to both the nose (smell) and the eyes (visual style).

How Formal Is It?

Formel

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Informel

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Niveau de difficulté

Grammaire à connaître

Exemples par niveau

1

这里的空气很清新。

The air here is very fresh.

Subject + 很 + Adjective.

2

早上的空气最清新。

The morning air is the freshest.

Time + 的 + Noun + Adjective.

3

雨后空气很清新。

The air is fresh after the rain.

Condition + Adjective.

4

我喜欢清新的地方。

I like fresh places.

Adjective + 的 + Noun.

5

公园里很清新。

It is very fresh in the park.

Location + 很 + Adjective.

6

这儿不清新。

It's not fresh here.

Negation with '不'.

7

清新吗？

Is it fresh?

Question with '吗'.

8

非常清新。

Extremely fresh.

Adverb + Adjective.

1

这间卧室布置得很清新。

This bedroom is decorated in a very fresh way.

Verb + 得 + Adverbial.

2

她穿着一件清新的白裙子。

She is wearing a fresh white dress.

Attributive '清新' modifying '白裙子'.

3

我喜欢这种清新的风格。

I like this kind of fresh style.

Demonstrative + Noun phrase.

4

早起呼吸清新的空气对身体好。

Waking up early to breathe fresh air is good for the body.

Gerund-like phrase as subject.

5

这幅画的颜色很清新。

The colors of this painting are very fresh.

Possessive '的' construction.

6

山上的空气比城市清新。

The air on the mountain is fresher than in the city.

Comparison with '比'.

7

我们要保持教室空气清新。

We need to keep the classroom air fresh.

Verb '保持' + Object + Complement.

8

这首歌听起来很清新。

This song sounds very fresh.

Sensory verb '听起来'.

1

这部电影给人一种清新的感觉。

This movie gives people a fresh feeling.

Verb '给' + Object + '一种...的感觉'.

2

他的文笔清新自然，没有雕琢感。

His writing style is fresh and natural, without a sense of being over-polished.

Coordinate adjectives '清新自然'.

3

这个广告的设计非常清新脱俗。

The design of this advertisement is very fresh and refined.

Four-character idiom-like structure '清新脱俗'.

4

这种小清新的打扮现在很流行。

This 'xiao qingxin' (fresh/hipster) style of dressing is very popular now.

Using '小清新' as a specific style label.

5

窗外的绿植让房间显得格外清新。

The green plants outside the window make the room look exceptionally fresh.

Causative verb '让' + Object + '显得'.

6

这道菜的口感很清新，适合夏天吃。

The taste of this dish is very fresh, suitable for eating in summer.

Topic-comment structure.

7

我们需要清新的创意来打破僵局。

We need fresh creativity to break the deadlock.

Abstract usage of '清新'.

8

她那清新的笑容感染了每一个人。

Her fresh smile infected everyone.

Adjective as a metaphorical attribute.

1

作者以清新的笔触描绘了乡村的生活。

The author depicted rural life with fresh brushstrokes.

Prepositional phrase '以...的笔触'.

2

在繁杂的都市中，这片绿洲显得格外清新。

In the complex city, this oasis appears exceptionally fresh.

Contrastive context.

3

这种清新的政风得到了民众的认可。

This fresh political atmosphere has gained public recognition.

Formal/Political usage.

4

他的演讲风格清新，不落俗套。

His speaking style is fresh and avoids clichés.

Parallel structure with '不落俗套'.

5

音乐会的主题是‘清新的夏日’。

The theme of the concert is 'Fresh Summer'.

Noun phrase as a title.

6

这种护肤品能让肌肤恢复清新活力。

This skincare product can restore fresh vitality to the skin.

Compound noun '清新活力'.

7

他那清新脱俗的气质吸引了很多粉丝。

His fresh and refined temperament attracted many fans.

Idiomatic usage.

8

我们需要一种清新的思维方式来解决这个问题。

We need a fresh way of thinking to solve this problem.

Abstract noun modification.

1

这部作品清新隽永，值得细细品味。

This work is fresh and meaningful, worth savoring carefully.

Literary adjectives '清新隽永'.

2

他擅长创作那种格调清新的山水画。

He is good at creating landscape paintings with a fresh style.

Specialized artistic term '格调'.

3

这种清新淡雅的香气让人感到十分宁静。

This fresh and elegant fragrance makes one feel very peaceful.

Compound adjective '清新淡雅'.

4

文章开篇便给人一种清新之感。

The beginning of the article gives a sense of freshness.

Classical '之' construction.

5

在充斥着商业气息的影坛，这部文艺片显得十分清新。

In a film industry filled with commercialism, this art film seems very fresh.

Complex sentence with participial-like phrase.

6

他那清新的叙事手法为小说增色不少。

His fresh narrative technique added a lot of color to the novel.

Idiomatic '为...增色不少'.

7

园林的设计追求一种清新自然的意境。

The design of the garden pursues a fresh and natural artistic conception.

Aesthetic term '意境'.

8

这种清新的社会风气是多年努力的结果。

This fresh social atmosphere is the result of years of effort.

Abstract social concept.

1

其诗作清新的风格，在晚唐诗坛独树一帜。

The fresh style of his poetry stood out uniquely in the Late Tang poetic circles.

Historical/Literary critique.

2

这种清新而不失厚重的设计理念深受好评。

This design philosophy, which is fresh yet profound, is highly praised.

Concessive structure '...而不失...'.

3

他以清新的视角重新审视了这段历史。

He re-examined this period of history from a fresh perspective.

Intellectual usage.

4

这种清新脱俗的审美追求，反映了当代人的精神需求。

This fresh and refined aesthetic pursuit reflects the spiritual needs of contemporary people.

Sociological analysis.

5

文章语言清新，毫无雕琢之迹。

The language of the article is fresh, with no trace of artificial polishing.

Literary criticism.

6

这种清新的经营理念为传统行业注入了活力。

This fresh business philosophy has injected vitality into traditional industries.

Business metaphor.

7

他在作品中营造出一种清新、空灵的氛围。

He creates a fresh and ethereal atmosphere in his works.

Aesthetic description.

8

这种清新之气，正是当下艺术创作所稀缺的。

This sense of freshness is exactly what is scarce in current artistic creation.

Emphatic '正是...所...' construction.

Collocations courantes

空气清新
风格清新
笔触清新
气息清新
色调清新
口味清新
面目清新
格调清新
旋律清新
环境清新

Phrases Courantes

小清新

清新脱俗

清新自然

清新空气

清新剂

清新风格

清新感

清新宜人

清新隽永

清新淡雅

Souvent confondu avec

清新 vs 新鲜

Used for food, news, and time-based freshness.

清新 vs 清爽

Used for the physical feeling of being cool and clean.

清新 vs 清洁

Used for hygiene and lack of dirt.

Expressions idiomatiques

""

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Facile à confondre

清新 vs

清新 vs

清新 vs

清新 vs

清新 vs

Structures de phrases

Famille de mots

Apparenté

Comment l'utiliser

aesthetic

Focuses on simplicity and light colors.

personality

Focuses on being unpretentious.

environmental

Focuses on the lack of pollution.

Erreurs courantes
  • Using it for food (e.g., 清新的牛奶).
  • Using it for cleanliness of a floor (use 干净 instead).
  • Confusing it with '清晰' (clear/distinct, like a photo).
  • Using it to mean 'new' in a chronological sense only.
  • Overusing '小清新' in professional reports.

Astuces

Word Pairing

Always pair 清新 with 空气 when talking about the outdoors.

Aesthetic

Think of the 'Muji' aesthetic when you want to use 清新 for design.

Placement

Use it before a noun with '的' to describe a quality.

Tone

Keep your voice light and airy to match the meaning of the word.

Context

If you hear it in a movie review, it means the movie is not a typical blockbuster.

Style

Use it to describe a peaceful morning scene in your essays.

Hashtags

On Chinese social media, #小清新 is a very popular tag.

Vs. 新鲜

Remember: Fresh air = 清新, Fresh fish = 新鲜.

Purity

It implies a sense of purity that 'new' (新) alone does not have.

Daily Use

Try to use it once a day to describe the weather.

Mémorise-le

Origine du mot

Classical Chinese. '清' (water radical) implies clarity; '新' (axe/wood radical) implies newly cut wood/freshness.

Contexte culturel

Minimalism and Naturalism

Slow living (慢生活)

Xiao Qingxin (小清新)

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Amorces de conversation

"你觉得这里的空气清新吗？"

"你喜欢这种清新的装修风格吗？"

"你听过这种曲风清新的歌吗？"

"你觉得这个模特的打扮清新吗？"

"雨后的城市是不是显得更清新了？"

Sujets d'écriture

描述一个你觉得空气最清新的地方。

你认为什么样的生活方式可以被称为‘清新’？

写一写你最喜欢的一首风格清新的歌曲。

描述一个外表清新的朋友。

如果让你设计一个清新的房间，你会怎么做？

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, you should use 新鲜 (xīnxiān) for food. 清新 is for air or style.

Not necessarily. It's usually a neutral or positive label for someone with an aesthetic, indie style, though it can sometimes be used sarcastically.

Depending on the context, it could be 污浊 (wūzhuó - for air) or 俗气 (súqì - for style).

Yes, it can represent the quality of freshness, as in '一种清新' (a kind of freshness).

清新的空气 (qīngxīn de kōngqì).

It can be used in both daily conversation and formal literature.

Usually '清澈' (qīngchè - clear) is better for water, but '清新' can describe the 'vibe' of a water scene.

It implies 'newly clean' or 'refreshing,' not just 'new' (which is 新).

Yes, to describe a clean, natural look without much makeup.

Yes, to describe a 'fresh' brand image or a 'clean' UI design.

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