Meaning and Usage
The word 綺麗 (きれい) is a versatile adjective commonly used to describe something that is beautiful, clean, or tidy. It can refer to physical appearance, cleanliness, or neatness.
Common Contexts
- Describing a person's appearance or clothing as pretty or beautiful.
- Talking about cleanliness, such as a clean room or environment.
- Referring to neatness, like neat handwriting or organized items.
Collocations and Patterns
- 綺麗な服 (きれいなふく): pretty clothes
- 綺麗に掃除する (きれいにそうじする): to clean neatly
- 綺麗な字 (きれいなじ): neat handwriting
Register and Nuance
綺麗 is polite and neutral, suitable for everyday conversation and formal situations. It is often used to compliment or positively describe something.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 綺麗 with 美しい (うつくしい), which also means beautiful but is more formal and poetic. 綺麗 is more common in daily speech and can also mean clean or tidy, unlike 美しい.