📖 Meaning
To vow to maintain one's own integrity and moral purity. It describes a person who pledges to keep themselves clean and upright, refusing to compromise their principles for personal gain. The term emphasizes self-discipline and an unwavering commitment to honesty.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom does not trace to a single specific classical text. It is composed of two parts: '洁清' meaning pure and clean, and '自矢' meaning to pledge or vow oneself, where '矢' in classical Chinese carries the sense of swearing an oath. The phrase reflects the deep Confucian moral tradition that values personal integrity, self-restraint, and resistance to corruption. It has been used in later literary and official contexts to praise officials who remain untainted by graft.
💡 Example Usage
他为官多年，始终洁清自矢，从未收受过任何贿赂。
Throughout his years in office, he remained steadfast in his personal integrity and never accepted a single bribe.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 洁清自矢
- Pinyin: jié qīng zì shǐ
- Literal Translation: clean, pure, oneself, pledge
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4