清潔な男
seiketsu na otoko
The English phrase "clean man" can be translated into Japanese as 清潔な男 (seiketsu na otoko).
The phrase 清潔な男 describes a man who is hygienic and maintains a neat appearance. In Japanese, to describe a man who looks neat and well-groomed, it is more natural to use the phrase 清潔感のある男 to imply he possesses a 'sense' of cleanliness.
Which one should you use?
While 清潔な男 describes a man who is hygienic, the informal term キレイ好きな男性 refers to a man who is obsessed with cleanliness. For a more general description of someone with an inclination towards cleanliness, you can use the informal term 清潔好きな人, which can be used to describe either a man or a woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 清潔 (seiketsu) is a na-adjective, so it requires the particle な (na) to modify a noun such as 男 (otoko).
How do you pronounce it?
seiketsu na otoko
Did you know?
- In Japanese dating culture, a man's 清潔感 (seiketsukan) is often cited as more important than his actual physical attractiveness.
- While 清潔 (seiketsu) is used for a 'clean man', the word 綺麗 (kirei) can mean both 'clean' and 'beautiful'. Using 綺麗 to describe a man can sometimes imply he has feminine features.
- When describing a 'clean man' in a professional context, Japanese speakers often focus on the 'crispness' of the clothes using the word パリッとした (paritto shita).
Examples in context
- あの人はキレイ好きな男性だから、部屋もいつも綺麗なんですよ。That person is obsessed with cleanliness, so their room is always tidy.
- 清潔な男はモテます。Seiketsuna otoko wa motemasu.A clean man is popular.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are talking about a colleague.
- 陽太 Yota新人の田中さんはどうかな？Shinjin no Tanaka-san wa dō kana?What do you think of the new hire, Mr. Tanaka?
- 美咲 Misakiとても清潔な男だと思うわ。Totemo seiketsuna otoko da to omou wa.I think he is a very clean man.
- 陽太 Yota確かに、身だしなみがいいよね。Tashika ni, midashinami ga ii yo ne.True, his appearance is very neat.
- 美咲 Misakiええ、好感が持てるわね。Ee, kōkan ga moteru wa ne.Yes, he's very likable.
