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清流

qīngliú
noun

Meanings

  1. 1 clear flowing water
  2. 2 an honorable person untainted by corruption
  3. 3 reform-minded faction of late-Qing scholar-officials

Examples

HSK 2
山间有一条清流。
Shānjiān yǒu yītiáo qīngliú.
There is a clear stream running through the mountains.
HSK 6
他是娱乐圈的一股清流。
Tā shì yúlèquān de yī gǔ qīngliú.
He is a breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry.
HSK 7-9
晚清的清流派主张严惩腐败。
Wǎn-Qīng de Qīngliú pài zhǔzhāng yánchéng fǔbài.
The Qingliu faction of the late Qing advocated harshly punishing corruption.

Tips

history
In late-Qing politics, the 清流党 was an idealistic faction of upright officials around 李鸿藻 and 翁同龢 who criticized the powerful and resisted foreign concessions. The label became a byword for moral incorruptibility, and survives today as a viral compliment (一股清流, "a stream of clean water") for any celebrity or product that stands out as principled or untainted.
usage
Modern internet usage 一股清流 is hugely productive, applied to everything from K-pop idols to indie movies that feel honest amid commercial dreck.

Stroke Order

清 qīng
流 liú